Mia In Manhattan

Un-natural labeling

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 12:04:18 -0400

There is yet to be a definitive system of rating what truly makes a product organic. California is attempting to devise a system for measuring how safe a product really is, by requiring any product labeled “organic” to be filled with at least 70% organic ingredients. This forces many companies who are greenwashing to properly label their products, making it easier for consumers to see what they are REALLY using. The Center for Enviromental Health recently launched a lawsuit against Hain Celestial (a company I am very familiar with) since some of their products (like JASON Thin to Thick) is labeled as being Organic when it really isn’t. Check out this great list of products that we THOGUHT we healthy and really aren’t! Hopefully this will shed some light and force our country to make progress with this issue.

See below for the entire list of products included in the CEH lawsuit:

http://www.ceh.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=529

Cleanse without Fasting?

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 10:20:26 -0400

I’ve tried the celebrity favorite Blueprint juice cleanse many times, and am still not convinced the misery of drinking only liquids for days is worth the end result. I’m skeptical of depriving your body of real food for that long, because it just craves even more when you are back to solids! I recently came across an interview in Self Magazine with nutritionist Nichole Dandrea where she gives tips for cleansing without actually fasting. I already incorporate many of these into my diet, but very helpful information nonetheless! Read the whole article here

1. Be colorful-instead of pastas and breads look for colorful foods in oranges, purples, pinks and golden to get plenty of vitamin C and fiber. When you feel like you need starchy foods eat sweet potatoes, yams or winter squash.

2. Go green-eat lots of spinach, kale and other green veggies to get calcium, iron and other important minerals. (If you are not a green veggie fan try disguising them in soups, smoothies and stir-fries).

3. Buy bulk-purchase whole grain foods such as brown rice, quinoa and oatmeal from bulk bins (use your own container for bonus green points) instead of buying prepackaged foods that often contain sugars and other additives.

4. Drink green tea-get a natural boost in metabolism by drinking 2-3 cups of green tea a day. Choose from many varieties such as pomegranate, blueberry and lemon if you are not a fan of the earthy green tea flavor.

5. Get spicy-add cayenne, ginger and turmeric to your meals or drinks for great natural cleansing, as well as digestive and immune system support.

6. Avoid sugar-drink only water or unsweetened tea. Stay away from the obvious-soda. Also avoid sweet tea, flavored waters and juice. (Whole fruit is great. It does have natural sugar, but it also has tons of fiber and water, as well as other important nutrients.)

7. Eat often-don’t starve yourself. Eating every 2-3 hours is important for the body to function properly, brain to think clearly and metabolism to run like a race car!

8. Eat healthy fats-good-for-you fats make your skin moist, hair soft and joints lubricated. Eat lots of walnuts, almonds, avocados and fatty fish.

9. Choose organic-see our Organic vs Non Organic food list. Whenever you can, choose organic-especially when choosing meats. Look for lean, grass-fed organic varieties that haven’t been treated with hormones and antibiotics.

10. Avoid processed foods-look for 5 ingredients or less. And yes, you should recognize and be able to pronounce all of them!

No More "Icing" New York

Thu, 26 May 2011 09:12:50 -0400

No More "Icing" New York

Simply Mazzat

Tue, 17 May 2011 11:51:00 -0400

Reason #1,111,112 why SF is simply marvelous? Hayes Valley. While visiting this past weekend, my friend brought me to a newly updated Lebanese restaurant called Mazzat. When the waitress told me that 90% of the neighborhood was vegetarian so they had to cater to that, I knew I was in the right place.

We opted for the sampler platter, where we could choose from three hot appetizers and three cold appetizers. Having to make decisions was the only downside of the experience! My favorite dishes? The grilled Shrimp and Eggplant with tomato sauce, and Baba Ganoush. Our waitress was quick to point out that all the dishes were made with Olive Oil and not unhealthy, artery clogging lard. The staff was also extremely friendly, so I highly recommend this to anyone in the Bay area. A word to the wise- get there early on the weekends, as we were warned the tables quickly fill up.

Take my Pilates class!

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 18:00:06 -0400

To all my favorite Tweeps, and Facebook followers, I wanted to spread the word that I’ve been teaching Pilates Mat at the LIC YMCA! I have free passes for those of you that want them. I am currently teaching at 7pm every Monday!

The Great Spring Cleanse

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 11:17:45 -0400

Earlier this April, my co-workers and I signed up for Social Workout’s “The Great Spring Cleanse”. For those of you who haven’t visited, go there now! It’s a great way to create and log a fitness plan, share your acheivements digitally, and track your progress!

The Great Spring Cleanse is a great way to start “spring cleaning”. The components are fairly simple for anyone maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Eat 2 servings of veggies each day, work out 4 times a week, limit alcohol and coffee, and do one 3-day juice cleanse. The hardest part? Getting a spa treatment ;) You can join also, or start your own plan here:

http://socialworkout.com/challenge/joinChallenge/3179

Would you try SNOWGA?!

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 18:00:07 -0400

Would you try SNOWGA?!

EDIBLE dirt candy!

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 09:00:07 -0500

One of my favorite parts about about NYC is the ever-growing population of healthy restaurants. Dirt Candy, the newest on the block, recently opened in East Village.

There are only like 10 small tables so it is pretty hard to get a reservation, but it was well worth it! Every dish features a seasonal, fresh ingredient, and the website features stories behind how many of the dishes are made! We started with the Steamed Carrot Buns and for entrees I got the Broccollini (crispy Tofu and Broccoli) and my friend got the Cauliflower. To finish, we got the Ice Cream Bar, just like the classic Klondike Bar but made with fresh Sweetpea and Mint! DELISH!

Check out the full menu here!

Vidal Sassoon.. the yogi??

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:30:07 -0500

After touring some of the most prestigious film festivals, the acclaimed documentary about famed hairstylist Vidal Sassoon was finally released in select theaters! I finally got to see the movie last weekend (at the East Village theatre in NYC), and was so inspired for his passion for using hair to create art.

One of the most shocking facts about the movie? He is an avid yogi and can twist himself into pretzels that even a former dancer like myself cannot accomplish! Look how happy he looks, a great example of the wonders yoga can do for the mind/body:

Guilt-free brownies

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 09:00:07 -0500

Trader Joe’s never fails to impress, hence my newest sweet-obsession: “Reduced Guilt Brownies”. The mix is under $5, incredible simple to make, and the list of the ingredients is short and understandable. All you do is mix fat-free vanilla yogurt in, bake for 25 minutes, and you are done! There is nothing guilty about these brownies at all!

Mia in... Houston

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 17:10:39 -0500

While in Texas for work this week, I overhead someone say “Texans don’t care where you eat, it’s how much you’re eating!” and instantly knew there might not be much ambiance in the Houston area. Luckily, an editor I was meeting with suggested one of the most charming little coffee shops in all of Texas, Tiny Boxwoods Cafe.

From huge mugs of delicious lattes and espressos to homemade cookies and healthy sandwiches, this darling cafe was definitely a hidden gem I was happy to have been introduced to!

Warm up with Lentil Soup

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 20:19:53 -0500

It’s still hard to believe that last month there was snow in EVERY state except for Florida! As snow days are becoming a component of daily life, they are the perfect opportunity to cook a hearty, health meal at home. My friend Steph and I made this delicious Lentil Soup last week. The picture doesn’t do it justice and looks like a mash of random things, but in reality it is chocked full of delicious veggies. Check out the recipe below!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 cup lentils, picked over and rinsed
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup packed escarole or spinach leaves, washed well, spun dry, and chopped
2 plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon red-wine vinegar
freshly ground black pepper

Prep:

In a large saucepan heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté squash, stirring occasionally, until golden. Transfer squash to a bowl. Add remaining tablespoon oil to pan and cook onion, stirring occasionally, until just tender. Reduce heat to moderate. Stir in garlic and curry powder and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Add lentils, water, and broth and simmer 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Add squash and remaining ingredients except pepper and simmer 3 minutes. Season soup with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

(pole) Dancing For Cardio

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 09:00:07 -0500

Having been a ballet dancer for the majority of my life, I am fully aware of the effects that leaping, piroutte-ing and pique-turning has on your heart rate. However, i never would have expected pole dancing to be as strenuous!

Saturday night, a group of girls gathered together for a private pole dancing class to celebrate my friend’s birthday. It was held at Shockra Studios which conviniently was located 2 blocks from my apt in Gramercy on 28th and Lexington. The cute studio was dimly lit and had 8 poles with plenty of space to shimmy and shake without knocking into your neighbor. At only $28 a person, it was cheaper than a lot of other fitness classes in NYC!

You can’t tell by this picture, but the class was HARD! We were all sweating by the end, and I couldn’t move my arms for the next few days after pulling myself up on the pole. Not to mention sore legs from twirling down! And although I was I could have accomplished this “feet”, the shoes are only for show and I did not wear them during the class ;)

Park Avenue Blooms In February

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 18:32:06 -0500

Despite the massive amounts of snow, there are still some flowers blooming on Park Avenue! Artist Will Ryman is working with the Paul Kasmin Gallery and NYC Department of Parks & Recreation to “plant” huge flowers on the streets of Manhattan.

Ranging from 3 feet to 25 feet in height, nearly 40 flowers will be installed, as well as scattered petals along the sidewalks as well. The exhibit, entitled “Roses by Will Ryman” will juxtapose the strength of nature with the strength of the city’s concrete and steel.

No more road rage... yoga for taxi drivers?!

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:52:10 -0500

No more road rage... yoga for taxi drivers?!

Feng Sui... your desk

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 09:00:07 -0500

I’ve always been interested in feng sui-ing my apartment, but it has seemed like such a hassle to reorganize a place that I spend so little time in. I recently read an article in Whole Living that taught you how to Feng Sui your desk. What a great idea! Considering I sit here for 9 hours a day, 5 days a week, I would like to make my area as calming as possible.

In the article, Feng Sui expert Jayme Barrett describes how to reorganize your desk space. Here is a diagram of how your desk should be organized:

You can read more details here. I did this to my desk last week and love it already!

Snow bunnies!

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 09:00:06 -0500

This Saturday, my roommate and I went with the ski group Urban Sherpa to Hunter Mountain. What a great way to escape the city and actually take advantage of the tremendous amount of snow we have gotten this year!

I highly recomend traveling with Urban Sherpa. We paid $120 each which included round trip transportation, an all day ski pass, and rentals. The mountain was perfect for us- tons of beginner and intermediate trails, a well-rounded food court and huge bar where we ordered apres ski drinks (spiced hot cider? YUM!) We are already planning on going back in February.

PURE food (and wine)

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:24:00 -0500

Thanks to a Groupon special, I finally got a chance to try the unique raw foodie restaurant right down the street from my apartment, Pure Food and Wine. Famous for turning typically glutinous dishes into raw and pure versions, I had been dieing to see if the food would actually taste as good as their unhealthy conterparts.

The verdict? Well the food was definitely different (and expensive) but worth the experience. I got raw Spanikopita, which utilized greek yogurt instead of cheese and crackers instead of the typical crust. A side of juicy green grapes were certainly a fresh surprise! My friend got raw Pad Thai, which was comprised of Kelp Noodles instead of the typically carb-filled noodle.

Oh and I can’t forget to note the amazing drinks, ranging from organic wine and sangria to fresh mojito’s blended with fresh fruits!

a REVolution for PIzza

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 10:05:06 -0500

Pizza is one of my favorite guilty (and drunk) pleasures, so when I found out a new healthy pizza parlor was opening up in M Hill I was overjoyed. Rev’d Up Pi claims that each slice has less than 170 calories and is baked utilizing only healthy and natural ingredients.

There tons of pizzas to choose from, such as the “Mermaid Pi” topped with Shrimp and Scallops and the Vegan-friendly “Lean and Green”. Each kind comes in three sizes: slice, personal pizza or large pizza. The menu also includes salads, healthy calzones, and homestyle dinners such as eggplant parm.

I was boring and got the low-fat cheese and tomato sauce “3.14 Pi”, but it was DELICIOUS! Who knew there could be such science behind PIZZA?

Rev’d Up Pi is located at 31st St and 3rd Ave.

ABstract EXpressionism NYC

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 21:04:51 -0400

I’m going to start this post off by saying that the new ABstract EXpressionism exhibit at the MoMA is one of the best I have ever seen. There are many reasons why abstract expressionism is one of my favorite types of art- the fact that the painters are from NYC, the vibrant colors, mythical and yet somtimes politcal subject matters, and its direct influence on grafitti and street art. Here are some of my favorite paintings, but you will have to check out the exhibit yourself to see everything else!

Here is one of my favorite paintings in the exhibit, “She-Wolf” by Jackson Pollack:

There were also many of Pollack’s “drip paintings”, which I appreciate but aren’t necessarily my favorite:

I also LOVE this de Kooning, one of my other favorite painters: