Weekend Recap: Oakley 10K, Brunch, and everything in between

Good morning all!

Happy Monday <3.

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Hope everyone is doing and well had a great weekend. Work and life have both been busy so it feels like I haven't passed by here in a while. It was time to give my blog some love!

This past weekend was tons of fun. I was finally able to run the Oakley 10K in Central Park, a race I have been wanting to run for the past three years or so but it had never worked out. I don't know what happened in 2013 but last year I was in Washington, DC around this time. But anyways, the point is I finally ran jogged my way through, and it was awesome.

My beloved sister joined me in this adventure- and finished the race about 20 minutes before I did! I also got to meet some friends from her job whom participated as well, and are super awesome.

my sis and her friends

So happy to add another precious medal to my collection (it had been too long!)

After the race we all went for brunch at a local spot and it was delicious.

Mott Haven Bar & Grill in the Bronx.

I usually have eggs Benedict every time I do brunch but decided to switch it up. Opted for the Greek Omelet which came with a side salad, potatoes and whole wheat bread on the side. Thumbs up.

I spent most of Sunday running errands (hello Target), went to the gym, enjoyed the gorgeous sunny day and enjoyed some quality time with my parents.

This week should be a busy, yet productive one. Looking forward to getting a lot done. It is raining today in New York City and I cannot deny I am feeling kind of gloomy at the moment. Making a conscious effort to cheer myself up- 'the sun always returns'.

...and this is totally random but I've been making a yummy salad this week which I've been pairing up with whole wheat french bread. I got the idea from a Panera salad I tried a while ago and fell in love with. The only difference is that making this salad cost me about 1/3 of the price:

And that's all folks! Thanks for passing by. Wishing you a great week!

Love,
Mabelle

Monday Morning chat + Goals for the week

Hello everyone!

Breakfast this morning: Whole Wheat 'french bread', scrambled eggs with peppers & onions, cafe w/ soy milk.

[please pardon the dirty-looking coffee maker, I promise it'll get cleaned up today]

Woke up bright and early this morning and have been working non-stop. Decided to take a short break to say hello and apologize for not being able to post the "What I know for Sure Sunday" post yesterday. Ive been thinking of alternating the series to every other Sunday but still debating on that. What do your guys think? I already have an outline for this coming Sunday's post. So, stay tuned for that.

Anyways, how was your weekend? I have to say I had a very nice and productive weekend. On Saturday I went to the gym early in the morning and then hung out with Felix the rest of the day. We had dinner at a Japanese restaurant and indulged in yet another Kevin Hart movie, Get Hard. I cant ever tell you how many of his movies we have seen together. Dinner was delicious. I had sushi (again)- shrimp tempura and dragol roll.  Refrained from taking a picture due to the awkward looks I get from him when I do... :) #dontjudgeme

On Sunday I went to the gym with my bestie Christina, hit up Target for some things I needed and then hung out with my parents house for a bit.

In other news, I cannot believe that March ends tomorrow. I hate to think about how quick these months are going by. Besides work projects, I have some "fun" things I'd like to accomplish this week so I figure i'd share with you guys:

1. Complete 3 days of Jillian Michael 30 day shred work out

2. Share a recap of my March goals and whether or not I was able to tackle all of them (or most)

3. Find my nearest CVS or Target photo center and get all my Dominican Republic pictures in a CD or online so I can share with you guys ASAP (still trying to find the cable for my digital camera)

4. Complete 2-3 days of cardio (complement my strength training routines)

5. Hit up Trader Joes, if possible (finally get my hands on some quality crunchy almond butter)

I will leave it at that for now. Besides these goals I want to continue making a conscious effort to eat healthy, wholesome foods, continue working hard and succeeding with my work, have fun and spend time with loves ones.

How is your Monday going? any set plans or goals for this week?

Thanks for reading.

Love,

Mabelle

My Happy Places (Part 1)

Hope everyone had a great weekend and a great Monday!

This weekend I spent a lot of time with my parents. I decided to pay them a visit on Saturday and pretty much stayed over at their place until this morning (my parents live about 15-20 minutes away-- driving distance-- from my apartment so it is kinda' nice to have them close). I have to admit that it just felt good to be in their presence and to feel the love that only parents can provide. I kinda' missed that. It's been a while since I spent an entire weekend with them. 

For some time now I have been trying to put together a list of my personal "happy places" and my parent's home is without a doubt on the list. This post will be part one of a series of post where I talk about places that bring me happiness-- and why. Sometimes the reason is irrelevant. As long as something lifts your spirits and makes you feel better, that's all that matters. Happiness needs no explanation. I encourage you to search for your own personal happy places. Being reminded of what brings you joy can be beneficial for the heart and soul in good times as well as not so good times. 

Anyways, while at my parent's place I got my hair done (Saturday), wen to mass and then got my nails done (Sunday). I also ate some good homemade food and indulged in a bit of apple pie and vanilla ice cream yesterday. My mom loves to bake random stuff so whenever I am over there I am almost guaranteed to be surrounded by some kind of dessert.

Mass was great and brought peace to my heart. It emphasized the subject of surrendering our troubles to the lord once we have done what we can. Sometimes we forget to let go and let God do what needs to be done. Felt good to be reminded of that.

Additional pics from the weekend:

Made Banana Bread on Friday night (had several bananas that were past the ripe stage and I mean super-duper passed. Perfect for some delicious baking):

A failed attempt at Kale Chips. I have a feeling I didn’t leave them in the oven long enough. Recipe called for 15-20 minutes but next time I may go for the 30. Needless to say I threw out almost the entire thing:

A visit to the library where I found this awesome book:

Didnt go to class today. Needed a mental health day!!! So i am here relaxing for a bit!

Cheers to a smooth week!