Summer Favorites

Heyoooooo!

This Monday is off to a great start, mainly because I get to leave at 11:30 am.  Last week was a rather hectic week-dinner dates with friends, dinner with my memom, visiting the bf, oh yeah and my AC DYING 😡    Luckily the weekend was nice and relaxing–lots of sleep and downtime which was must needed.  I tried a lobster roll for the first time in my life, I ate every last bite of that sandwich.  It was such a simple sandwich but it was PACKED with delicious flavor and textures:

I had not clue was to expect but based off of the name, I was anticipating more of a mayo-layden “salad.”  I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was straight up seasoned lobster meat with a thin spread of sauce on the perfectly toasted bread.  I also absolutely loved that the emphasis of this ‘roll’ was on the stuffing of the sandwich and not hidden between two gigantic pieces of filling bread.  It was perfect for a summer afternoon.

Sunday evening had me feeling prepared and ready to tackle this week.  I always feel like I’m starting the week off on the right foot when I go grocery shopping on Sunday evening and cook/prepare some foods ahead of time.  Considering my house is like a cheap spa sauna right now, everything I purchased at the grocery store was cold, crisp (ew I hate that word), and refreshing.  Curiosity got the best of me (and my wallet), I came across some items that I always pass when I shop and decided I’d give them all a sample this week:

Product Test #1: Chameleon Cold Brew Iced Coffee

Delicious Pre-Made Iced Coffee

Verdict:  I’m in love.   Most pre-made iced coffees that you come across are more of a coffee flavored milk than an iced coffee.  This iced coffee is straight black coffee-no additives, no sugar, no cream, no NUTTIN!  It’s a highly concentrated brew so depending upon the dose of a ‘jolt’ you need, you can drink the coffee straight, or cut it with water, cut it with milk/creamer, you name it.   A great perk of this pre-made iced coffee is that it’s less acidic (yay less stomach troubles) than other coffees AND it does not have that BITTER coffee aftertaste that you get with some brews. It’s super pricey, but for a once in a blue moon “splurge” and the fact you get 4-8 cups out of one bottle, I know I’ll be back for more :).  I poured a 1:1 ratio of original almond milk and this coffee over ice this morning.  I can say I like it better over any Coffee Chain Iced Coffees (ahem Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts).

Product Test#2: Perrier Pink Grapefruit Sparkling Water

The verdict:  It’s decent.  I know perrier is more of a ‘Spensif brand of sparkling/selzter waters.  I love grapefruit flavored anything so it was hard to resist this pretty colored box.  The flavor tasted generic, nothing OOOOOO and AAAAAAHHH about it, but still tasty.  Next time I’ll buy the store brand of grapefruit seltzer water to save some $ to splurge on that delicious iced coffee mentioned above ;-).

Product Test #3: Jif Natural Peanut Butter with Touch of Honey Spread

The verdict:  I smeared this stuff in between a banana and thoroughly enjoyed it!  It has a slightly sweeter taste than normal peanut butter and only has 6 grams of sugar!  I overdosed on peanut butter and company’s chocolate peanut butter spread and their white chocolate wonderful peanut butter spread a while back and tried to branch out my taste buds to other products.   I’ve been dabbling (another word I hate) with other nut butters recently (almond, cashew, coconut) and while all are absolutely delicious in their own way, they are twice the price (if not, more than twice) of peanut butter!  So I was a happy camper to try a product I’ve never tasted before that was also an affordable price.

Those were my three taste test products, I’m happy to say that I don’t feel like I wasted money on any of the products because I like the taste of everything.

I’ would also like to share a summertime favorite of mine that is not edible: Maryland Flag Print.  As a Baltimoron, I must brag that I believe our state has a pretty cool flag.  I love the print, I love the color combo, I just love it.  I was happy to find a store:  Route One Apparel which sells all sorts of printed clothing items and accessories.  Not just MD flag related, but USA prints, beach prints, etc.

My splurges:

Flag Print Koozie–I have so many koozies I do not know what to do with. I guess you could say I kind of have an obsession and collect hoard them.

And a white trash bathingsuit top 😀 Ever since the summer after my senior year of college, I always find myself eyeing up a “trashy” looking suit that none of my friends would be caught dead in.  Considering I have the fashion sense of a 2 year old, I like to view these bathingsuit tops as “funky” and not “trashy”.  Whatever label is chosen for it, I still buy it.  I wear it around my friends, we have a good laugh.  That’s my personality.  Previous years have been:  Camo with a rhineston skull and cross bones, BRIGHT ASSED TIE DYE (suited for a 12 year old and not a 23 year old), rasta  blend (green, yellow, red all fading into one another), a snake charm top, and this year’s newest addition, the MD flag print.

Can’t wait to test them both out!

In workout news, I have lost all creative juices for my gym routines lately due to some non-routine post-work items on my agenda which had to be addressed.  I have been pulling lifting workouts straight from BodyBuilding.com.  I was completing lifting routines from Kris Gethin 12 Week Daily Video Trainer.  This is a great routine to follow to get back in the swing of lifting.  It focuses in 1-2 body parts per workout and there is always one “giant set” exercise to fatigue that muscle group.  I have enjoyed following this program since June right after my 10 mile race.   I’m at the point now where my muscles are complacent in that workout routine so I decided to change it up.  I did the back and biceps workout from Ashley Horner‘s 360 Program.  Let me tell you …that’s girl’s workouts are no joke. And they are SUPER long.  I do not recommend her workouts if you are pressed for time.  But if you have all day, you will definitely be fatigued at the end.

And one last thought before I sign off for today, My bf and I saw this while driving around DC Saturday night:

….whaaaa!?!?!?!?!

What are your summertime favorite foods?  Any workouts that you are currently hooked on?

Hope you have a great week!

-Nar