Traveling is Healthy, Actually

I hear it all the time; "I can't find anything healthy to eat," said the business traveler; "There needs to be healthier choices," said yet another business traveler; "Those business dinners make me so unhealthy," yep, you guessed it, another business traveler.

While each of these statements may have some truth in them they are all modifiable, unlike age or sexual orientation (we are who we are) changing unhealthy habits into healthier ones can actually happen. As far as I have seen the airports now carry plenty of healthy options, and places like Delta's Sky Club offers an array of healthy snack options- you may have to pay a little more for a salad at the airport vs. your favorite lunch spot, but isn't your health your greatest wealth?

Also, when you stop and think about it, the airport is the perfect place for some exercise, especially if you have carry-on to push and pull. With today's airports being similar to a small town you can walk around and around and around, and no one will ever question you (just don't leave your bag with a stranger so you can walk faster, then they might question you).

So you've got a long layover and you start to seek out the closest kiosk for a candy bar and beer.

STOP!

Layovers are not an excuse to complain about airport food...

Fly Well Tip #1: Pack (or wear) comfy shoes.

Christopher Berger is an exercise physiologist and professor at the University of Indianapolis who would agree with me that airports do not have to be a haven for stress. He likes to look on the positive side and see where he can relieve stress, and this starts with some comfy shoes. I would like to insert now a direct quote from Dr. Berger that sums it up quite nicely:

 “Travel does not mean deconditioning. You’re stuck in a terminal for three hours, boo hoo, but you have a climate-controlled place where you can walk literally for miles at some airports if you want.”

Like I said, you could walk for HOURS!

I'm not the only one who thinks airport exercise is a great idea.  The American Heart Association even started a program called the Start! Walking program. The  Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport actually have walking circuits JUST FOR YOU TO WALK! Layover in Minneapolis again? Switch the negative thinking to positive and think about how great you are going to feel after you get some exercise in!

Other cool layover spots?

San Fran International Airport has a Zen Room, that's right, deep breaths and a little meditation does a body good.

 Zurich Airport you can rent bike, in-line skates and Nordic walking sticks! Wow, airport or Olympic playground?

Incheon International Airport, Korea has an ice-skating rink. Never get to go to your home rink? Why not skate around in a foreign country!

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Yoga Room. Pop in a DVD and start your downward dogging!

Schipol Airport, Amsterdam, recharging bikes! iPhone out of power AGAIN? Don't just plug it in, get moving with these stationary bikes and charge it up! (They also have a great sleeping lounge area if you are really sleep deprived. I tested this out once on a trip to Germany, to this day I am amazed I did not miss my flight).

 Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong. Sports simulators that mimic soccer, basketball, golf, boxing, skiing, car racing and shooting AND they have a golf course? Make sure you get out to see the city too as much fun as the airport sounds!



Fly Tip #2

Unless you are hopping from the plane to an important business meeting try to wear, or at least pack, comfy pants. I say this because if you stumble upon a sports mecca or yoga studio you will be happy that you have the flexibility to be, well, flexible!

Fly Tip # 3

Nuts. (Unless you are allergic, duh) are a great snack to pack. Combine this with an apple (both do not need refrigeration!) and it can at least hold you over on your layover. However, as I said before, there ARE healthy options out there. Grab and go salads and sandwiches are fresh and easy. So don't say the only option are the Golden Arches- they are there, yes, they are everywhere, but that does not mean it has to be a go to travel food. In fact, I would be willing to make a bet that if you start walking around, you will feel better and your brain will ask you for those healthier options.

Fly Tip # 4

H20. If you have ever taken a flight before you know what the air is like. No explaination needed. Hydrate!

As far as the business dining steak houses? There is no business law that says you must order the 20 oz. steak. Stand up for your health, you will be surprised how many others will follow your lead.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Fly Well,

K


 

Let Them Eat Merveilleux!

You know what a croissant is, even if you cannot properly pronounce it. But what about a Berliner, a Cramique, a Choux, and (finally), a Merveilleux!? The last one I can explain here: It is a sweet little delight made of meringue, whipped cream, and one of four different coatings such as dark chocolate or the ever-popular Speculoos (think Biscoff cookies).  I urge you to go there and ask the nice young lady behind the counter about the others; live the experience, don't just read about it!

Yellow is the color of happiness, and grey?? Well its versatile with 50 shades and all. Upon entering this cafe  the first thing I noticed: YELLOW! The color scheme is more than just a personal choice, it represents the  the home of Merveilleux: Belgium's sky, which is said to be "once grey, once yellow."

I try not to drink my cappuccino too fast.
People hustle down the streets of the Upper East Side.
I sit inside the Yellow Submarine realizing that stripes and brick actually go well together.
Yes, I took the time to notice my surroundings, cappuccinos tend to do that to you...
and then I take a bite...

... but not before smelling my Merveilleux and the familiarity of Biscoff that I load up on during my Delta flights.
NOWWWW I  take a bite, then two more and set it down trying to do what every French person does because it is built into their DNA, or just their culture.
Take
My
Time.
Slowly savor my food.
Savor Life.

I look forward to reading Vanity Fair on Sundays and sipping frothy fatty milk.
I lick my wooden spoon (plastic are so late '60's).
The best part about my Merveilleux?
It is NOT TOO SWEET
Its the opposite of those preserved, over-sized sugar pumped ( and fake sugar at that) "snacks" that the food industry creates.

The owner takes pride in preserving the Belgium palate and recipes, which uses less sugar; "small pearls" as she put it.
Don't get me wrong, these still are sugary treats, just not the kind of sweet some may be used to, this is REAL.
I lick my wooden spoon and can actually feel my taste buds, they are not shocked with an over-palatable fake sugar rush, my 20% Belgium roots thank this cafe for opening.

Then I look down, so ein Shade, I drank all of my cappucino
Time to sit back, relax and
read my Vanity Fair.

Ost Cafe. A Hemingway-Like Corner in the East Village

You Have a Way with Words My Dear
A Rustic Cove
A Split Scene
Coffee to the South
Wine to the North
Newspapers hang from the walls
Students to my left
Bohos in the Back
Village locals everywhere



My girlfriends accompany me in my wine cafe endeavor
(They are always up for helping me taste wine)
We strike up a conversation with the friendly Sommelier-in-training
He's patient and enthusiastic as we  travel the Austro-Hungarian Empire
I decide on the Blaufrankisch, Weninger, Niederosterreich, 2007
I chose this mainly because friendly Sommelier-in-training guy described it as
"As though cinnamon and spice mated and had a baby- this wine would be it."
Thats some real life wine talk



We got the meat and cheese plate, becuase that is what women really want
It came complete with nuts and dried fruit, pickles and crackers
Simple needs a little sweet
So then we had some Nutella Chocolate "Chipwiches" to complete the experience
A fine place to bring a date, your parents, a friend or just yourself
Study, write, laugh, live
Whether its wine or espresso your are looking for
Go no further,  you have found what you've been looking for.

I love Paris all the Time - Le Moulin a Cafe. Paris in the Heart of the Upper East Side

Dear Le Moulin a Cafe,
I Like it A Latte
I lick powdered sugar from my lips.
I place the Cream Puff on its porcelain bed and proceeded to lick the dusty sweetness from my fingertips.
Another bite, the cream is cold.
My taste buds absorb sugar and fat, my napkin unfolds.
Bite 3, the puffed white flour begins to soften.
The corners of my mouth turn slightly upwards, I don't do this often.
Bite 4, the cold cream seeps through the delicate crust.
It soaks up the butter, I long for lust.
My tongue trails one edge, the cream clings to the tip.
My reflexes kick in and the cream slides to the back of my tongue, it's almost time for my first sip.
But first, the last bite, I pop it into my mouth un-lady-like.
(Damn, I wanted to soak it into my Latte first)-too late- I swallow, I smile; a delight.

Milk foam is my downfall, milk foam is my upper.
Foamed milk which layed atop tainted espresso is the happy thought that would make me fly like Pan.
I have a tendency to drink my Lattes too fast as though if I let it sit and rest the foam would sink to the bottom of the cup or evaporate into the sky.
I look down and notice a dusting of powdered sugar on my blue jeans.
It's a rare event that I would not drop some piece of my culinary evidence on my clothing.
I brush it off, gulp down the last two sips of the Latte and smile at the fact that one cup of espresso covered by a pillow of foamed milk and a cream puff can teach you so much about yourself on a Sunday afternoon at a French Cafe on the island of Manhattan.

Objects in the Review Mirror may appear not as wonderful as they are in real life ;)

Do you want REAL FRENCH FOOD? I bet your answer is yes. Do you want to escape the NYC craziness, step into a Parisian Cafe and eat and talk (who knows- maybe even walk) like a Parisian? Then go here Mon-Fri after the kids go to school and you will find yourself in the midst of what some call "The French Mafia" and what I like to call "The French Foodie Invasion."

The front is a great place to meet for a warm drink and pastry. In the back is this cozy room available for private events and open during regular hours for the public.

One of my favorite things to do in other countries is to puruse the grocery store. Some people buy graffiti art t-shirts on the street; my souveniers are the ones that end up in my stomach. Le Moulin a Cafe offers treats, cereals, honey and other goodies direct from France.

French Goodies. Notice they use Glucose syrup and NOT High Fructose Corn Syrup. Got to love those European treasures called REAL FOOD

Finally, look what I could not resist flipping the pages to direct from their public magazine rack. Whether you want to practice your French or just like looking through the photos, this simple addition makes you really feel like you are on Holiday across the Atlantic, and not in the Upper East Side of NYC.

Will and Kate! (All magazines are the French version, and I must say, a little more revealing that what we get in the States).

If you are on Facebook, as is most of the World, go ahead and "Like" Le Moulin a Cafe located in Manhattan. Starting next month they will be featuring their French wines paired with PURE FRENCH CHOCOLATE- absoultely no preservatives; how very French of them. ;)
Genuine Experience
Friendly Service
Real, Quality Food
Great local Art->

Art by local Artists, and will still make you feel like you are in Paris

To Le Mouline a Cafe, with Love,
K. Jacqueline

Primo- A Maine Tasting Venture Inspired By One Lady's Grandpa

Up to $500 for a flight from NYC to Portland, Maine? My spontaneous nature took a bite out of my wallet, but I would not let it swallow. Nope, Kelly, you are making your way, not paving it in gold. My next (and cheapest) option was a Greyhound bus ticket and 10 hours one-way on the road to say good-bye to the house I grew up in (parents are looking to move to Cali) and visit my Dad (Mum is already in Cali) who is about to turn 60, but who is still mistaken for my boyfriend out in public (embarrasing, yes, but I am couning on those good genes for my aging purposes.





Then it hit me, if I'm going to be in Maine, I just HAVE TO go to Primo! But how will I get a reservation on such short notice
Lucky for me- they reserve seating upstairs for the spontaneous type, I was in!
"Anything you want, order it, my treat." I told my Dad.
It was a mere 45 minute wait from the time we put our names on paper. In the mean time we could "grab a drink and go visit the gardens," said the host. I could hardly contain myself at this point and was so excited that I opted to wait to order drinks until dinner for the simple fact that I did not trust myself with a camera in one hand and a glass of vino in the other (I still wear one of those plastic lobster bibs when I crack lobster tails....true story).
Melissa Kelly is the 2013 recipient for the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Northeast. She grew up in Long Island, NY; I grew up in Maine. Who would have known our paths would cross that Labor day weekend? I- the NYU trained Dietitian, Melissa- the Award Winning Chef, both with a mission to help people eat real food-you know, the fresh, no added junk kind; food from the GARDEN, the SEA, the TREES....NOT from the lab.
My luck kept on going that weekend because Melissa was in the kitchen keeping her hands busy, but stopped for a minute for a picture and a smile. Not only talented, but a poised and kind person who wants to cook you dinner, and grow your dinner as well.

The menu is massive, and the specials make it the Yellow Brick Road of dishes, but its not like one of those restaurants where you feel menu pressure because you second guess yourself if what you ordered is REALLY what you wanted, because you know you really wanted the salmon, but was trying to go out on a limb and stray away from your favorite fish....
No, its not like that here. Whatever you order, you will be pleased.
So here is what me and my Dad ordered.
Started with Warm Fried Sausage Stuffed Olives= Love stuffed into Love and then dipped into some hot Love
Charcuterie- Country Pate, Fennel Coppa, Head Cheese and Cotechino with pickles, Radish, Crostini and House Mustard.
I know what you are thinking, "crostini is on every menu, I can just go buy some in a box and WAH LAH!" But this is different. Its a perfect balance between crunch and savory moistness. I wondered if maybe they had just one person making these thin slices of heaven. You know, Crostini Chef; it seemed fitting.
Dad got the Pizza, he always gets the pizza, unless there is a Reuben on the menu.
Josh's Pizza- House-made sausage, onions and mushrooms. I kept picking the sausage off the top (so there you have it. I am not a vegetarian although many people think all Dietitians are, like its part of our training, nope, not the case).
I went with seafood (Hello, I was in MAINE) and ordered the Sauteed Branzino Fillet with Crab and Shrimp Risotto, Smoked Tomatoes, Scallion and Wilted Spinach.
It was as though the Sea met Cloud 9 and they had a child. Thats the only way I can describe it.
For dessert- just a simple Primo Garden Tisane- fresh herbs hand picked from the garden and seeped in a French Press.

Take Time to Smell The Flowers

I got wine, Dad got Ginger beer. I am a lover of the fruit of the vine, so much though that one day I would like to be a Sommelier and to work on a vineyard- do the dirty work you know- but for this restaurant, it was about the food, the atmosphere, the terroir of what was placed on the plate.

Stroll the Gardens before you Eat

It reminds me of the house I grew up in. Rustic-Maine-Cape

I'de like to thank you for reading my first Restaurant Post. This one is special. For one, its the premier; it goes back to my roots-Vacationland, where I actually lived year round- Maine. It highlights a Chef whos dedication, talent and hard work are put towards helping people's health and appreciation of real food, and finally, it will be like no other post...
I will focus on Cafes- the coffee, the tea, the baked goods, and, last but certainly not least, the wine.
The Toast. The Terroir.
The End.