Sometimes, you just gotta take the advice of the Spice Girls.
This morning I was out of bed at 6:30. When I ran into my mom in the kitchen, she frantically looked at all the clocks around her. “Am I late?!” No mom, I’m just up earlier than usual so I can get my run in before it gets sweltering hot outside. 
To train for my first race, I’m using Hal Higdon’s 5K training plan and hope to stick strictly to the mileage in the plan every week. I’ve had shin splints and an ankle injury which were partly a result of overexerting myself way too quickly. Hal Higdon’s goin’ to keep me in check!
I came home, stretched, showered and went back to sleep! For breakfast, I tried out a new yogurt I picked up at the store yesterday, Liberte Six Grains in the raspberry flavor.
I had it with about 2/3 cup of Barbara’s Ultima Organic High Fiber cereal, flax, strawberries & a banana:
It was thinner than Greek yogurt but very creamy. I really enjoyed the taste and texture. I don’t usually like the “fruit on the bottom” varieties but this was great, not too sweet! The only con is the price: it’s like $1.69 for one…out of my college budget. At school, I buy Chobani only when it’s on sale. If my parents are buying, I’m all for it
I also had a cup of Organic Mighty Leaf Earl Grey tea. It comes in a silken, biodegradable pouch and it’s the best tea I’ve ever had! I first had it at the Beam Green meeting and was so glad to see it at the store.
Lunch was nothing to write home about, so let’s get to the spicy dinner!
My friend and I headed to the Lower East Side because we made reservations at the Brick Lane Curry House. We decided to go there for spicy Indian food after seeing the restaurant featured on Man v. Food. The host ate the spicest curry in the country there, and we like spicy.
The restaurant is comfy and cozy inside:
There were many choices and it took us a while to decide what we wanted but we settled on the dishes on the Curries list. While we were thinking, we got the complimentary papadum with an assortment of chutneys:
I ordered the Jalfrezi: Medium spiced tomato curry with stir-fried onions, bell peppers and sun dried tomatoes & veggies. This was incredible! It was just the right amount of spice & flavor, with lots of vegetables.
We shared a basmati rice & garlic naan bread, which was incredible! Jill ordered one of the spicest dishes on the menu called Vindaloo: a fiery combination of freshly roasted and ground spices and condiments from Goa cooked with potatoes
with tofu. The waiter even noted how spicy this dish was, but we like it hot!
Here’s our table with the flash:
I had a bite of Jill’s dish and damn, it was spicy! I teared up and it cleared my sinuses I don’t know how she ate it! She’s a champ!
The restaurant has incredible service. We drank like 4 liters of water each with our meal and our glasses were refilled constantly. This was definitely the best Indian food I’ve ever had and I’d love to come back here again.
After we ate, we decided we needed something sweet & cool to chill our taste buds…and we were only a few blocks away from…STOGO! I mean, can anyone get enough of this amazing ice cream?
This time, I had the peanut butter fudge, which tastes exactly what it sounds like, fantastic:
Jill got the red velvet cake…do we love it how they pile this shiznit on, or do we love it? I had a taste of this and it was literally red velvet cake in ice cream form.
How do you spice up your life?
Spice girls, indian, ice cream. What more do you need? honestly
I am a sucker for mexican food.
Whenever I indulge in ice cream I find myself going back for seconds and it is never something I regret. So. Delicious.
I am so insanely jealous of your Stogo trip! AH-MA-ZING!
i was just at brick lane on friday night! got some delicious chicken tikka. mmm!
Haha, I’m all for expensive yogurts when the parentals are buying too…
Mmm yummy looking Stogo. Did I tell you I set a date to go there? It’s like 2 weeks from now but I’m still excited!
Aaaah…my friend has been raving about Brick Lane. Looks great! Indian food is one of my favourite cuisines. And Stogo is DEFINITELY on my “must try” list.
Spice… Usually salsa. I used to love spicy food but lately can’t tolerate it at all!
blah tougher*
ah you are a toucher woman than i — i can’t do spicy.. but ice cream? well, thats no problem
Ice cream and Indian food – yummy!
That yogurt looks really intersting. Hopefully it’ll come out to MN someday.
INDIAN FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!! yum
How crazy is that yogurt with grains in it?! The things they do these days! Fruit on the bottom is the best
Scott would be all over that! He loves himself some spicy stuff and no one ever makes it hot enough for him. :p Those eats look mighty tasty!
Hahah. I love the reference to the Spice Girls.
I am going to spice up my life today
Thanks for the inspiration.
I SAW That episode!!! it was crazy. that’s awesome you got to try out their food. That’s one thing we need here: a really good Indian place and a good Thai place.
I think that curry place was also on Chefs vs. City on Foodnetwork a few weeks ago!
I’m jealous of all your friends in NYC that get to hang out with you. I’ll research about spicy food restaurants in Costa Rica in preparation for your visit. In the meantime, I like to hang out with scorpions as way to add some flavour to the day.
AHHH! MUST GO TO STOGO!!
I love Hal Higdon! Especially because he advocates brisk walk breaks during training runs
AHHHH I’M SO JEALOUS!!! I really want to go to Brick Lane. I freakin’ LOVE Indian food, and our restaurants here don’t know how to make it hot. Mmm, vindaloo is definitely one of my favorite dishes of all time. I wonder if I could take the heat of Brick Lane’s.