Two items arrived in the mail among all the other holiday gift boxes.

The first:

BOB’S RED MILL “HEROES OF THE MILL CLUB” GIFT. Awesome!

I’m so happy to receive this Gluten Free healthy grain cereal . It’s been a while since I’ve made this BRM cereal.  Almost daily, we enjoy Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oats. Variety is the spice of life.

In addition to the cereal, BRM sent an EarthLust bottle for our hydration needs. It’s light weight and has a gorgeous picture of the Red Mill. Perfect for a treadmill run or an elliptical session and it fits perfectly into the holder on my bike.

THANKS TO ALL THE FOLKS AT BOB’S RED MILL! What a great company.

The second:

Starbucks K-Cup Coffee Sampler

I like STRONG coffee and Starbucks never fails to satisfy.

We were sent K-Cup samples of the Breakfast Blend (my favorite) and also the French Roast Dark.

I’ve never been a fan of French Roast but must have been in the mood for this rich, bold blend

on this particular morning. WOW! It’s an eye opener.

The Breakfast Blend is smooth and representative of Starbucks milder blends. It was a good wake up call for Ted.

Don’t you just LOVE getting packages that you didn’t have to pay for?! 

The Willows – Revisited

Last week Ted and I ventured over to The Willows for another amazing meal but a long wait.

We’ve been here a few times and every single time, we wait and wait AND WAIT for our order to be served. It’s frustrating!

The dining room doesn’t offer a conversational atmosphere.  It’s large and uninteresting.  If you enjoy watching others eat, it IS good for that purpose.

We prefer the bar area which is cozy and seems warmer.

Why do we go?  It’s the food.

When each course, from appetizers of the best ever greens,

the salad, crisp and fresh,

to the main course, pan seared tuna over mashed parsnips with a red wine syrup,

or a big bowl of hearty noodles in a light pink sauce with sausage,

are finally served, all that frustration melts away.

The meal is so darned good, you’re angry that you couldn’t stay mad about the wait and vow never to go again.

You shake your head as you eat food you KNOW your favorite chef couldn’t prepare any better.

And as you pay the bill, which is average for excellent gourmet cuisine, you walk away wishing every meal could be so good.

If you’re looking for excellent food, visit The Willows.  Be prepared to wait, enjoy the company you’re with and enjoy a drink or two.  Allow the dining experience to whisk you away for a little slice of Heaven.

Gourmet or family style dining? What’s your preference?

Ted and I made the rounds. There are a couple of new places in Utica as well as the old tried and true.

Down by the train station there is a place called The Cage.  If you’ve lived in Utica a while, you recognize it

as the old Trackside Tavern. 

The renovated establishment offers an upstairs training facility for ultimate fighting.  Downstairs is a sports bar with more televisions than the typical sports bar times two. 

Here’ a little excerpt from the CAGE website:

While competing professionally in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, owners Duff Holmes and Matt Hamill traveled across the world, and visited the best sports bars on the planet.

The Cage is a combination of all the best those sports bars had to offer. Whether it’s lunch, dinner, happy hour, a business meeting, the big game or socializing with friends over an ice cold beer, The Cage is the place to be. We hope you enjoy.

Thank You. Your friends,
Matt & Duff

We didn’t stay for dinner but did enjoy a glass of wine and a brewski

Nothing fancy but a good name

The Cage has a nice atmosphere, definitely the place to go and watch your favorite event on television, plus a super meeting place for friends. Friendly and great service.  If I ate chicken wings, I’d be at the Cage for wings and beer every Sunday, watching my favorite team.

After The Cage, Ted and I made our way into Washington Mills where we used to frequent The Vineyard.   The Vineyard is now closed and the place has been joined with the pizza shop to make one massive sports lovers dream.  It’s now simply one big “Tony’s Pizzeria”.

Again, televisions everywhere.  The atmosphere isn’t quite as pleasant as The Cage. 

Left over wine selection from when the Vineyard was well stocked so I leapt at the opportunity to enjoy a California Syrah.  That’s wine!

Ted enjoyed his second beer.  *I really should start taking notice of what beer he’s drinking but it just doesn’t have the same appeal to me as wine. 

The hostess behind the bar was very friendly and when I asked about her tattoos (she had a lot of them), we got the full story on each one.  Quite interesting that the tattoos on her finger were the most painful and also, the very first ones she had done.  Guess it’s like running a marathon or having a baby, it hurts pretty bad but we keep doing it over and over again. *I wouldn’t know about child birth but that seems to be the case.

By this time we were getting hungry so we decided to sample the menu. 

A nice large Greek antipasto.  The rest of our dinner was better left unsaid.  It wasn’t our favorite and I’ll only add that I ate a piece of fried fish that I could have done without.  Ted had a burger that was dry and virtually tasteless.  On a good note:  The antipasto was enjoyed and the people watching in this place is tops! 

I also mentioned we went to some tried and true places.  Last night for our Friday dinner out, we decided on The Balkan/Hadley.

What a wonderful surprise we had after being seated, our friend Pierre from Franchetta’s strolled by and told us about his new endeavors.  He runs The Balkan/Hadley with his friend.  Pierre is keeping Franchetta’s although it isn’t currently open, he has plans to purchase the adjoining building to Franchetta’s on Columbia Street as well as other things in the mix.  How entrepreneurial our friend is!

It was great to see Pierre again.  He never fails to offer a smile and funny word or two. 

Our dinner at The Balkan/Hadley was fantastic as usual.

Turbot Filet broiled in olive oil and lemon with mildly spiced brown rice.

Ted enjoyed a steak, potatoes and beans.

BUT…look what else TED had – CARROT CAKE!

Too full to move, we enjoyed the music in the bar area:  Saxophone and piano with a background of loud, chattering women (could have done without).

Nice enjoyable evening. Good fun, friends, and food.

The morning sky can be so interesting.

Do you ever look at the sky and see pictures in the clouds?

It’s nice being outside and watching the sun come up.  This morning I ran my last 16 miles before the Philadelphia Marathon next weekend.  It went well except for my left hamstring.  My pace was faster for the long run, averaging 8:53 for 16 miles.  I’m not sure that means I’ll ever achieve my goal pace for 26.2 miles but either way, however long, I’ll make it to the finish line.  If you want to follow, go to:

Realtime Race Tracking (You would enter D Joanne Willcox)
Live Results Leader Board for the race will be available on the Philadelphia Marathon Face Book page.
Sign up for Text / Social Media Message Signup, Live Results tracking and Map Tracking system to follow marathoners graphically along the course map. Click here.

Pier’s & Blake Steakhouse

Old downtown Utica has recently attracted attention.  There used to be a huge hardware store which had EVERYTHING you could imagine, not just hardware. That meant it was fun to visit even for the not so handy woman.  Doyle’s Hardware closed years ago.  The building sat vacant for a long time before an entrepreneurial spirit got hold of it.  Today the building is the home of a restaurant lounge which grows monthly in popularity. 

Ted and I have been driving past Pier’s & Blake every Friday wanting to enjoy our weekly night out in the restaurant.  The place has been packed until this weekend.  We lucked out!

You enter Pier’s & Blake through a very discrete doorway.  No light.  In fact, if you miss the large banner at the very top of the tall building facing the parking lot, you may not even know the restaurant is there.  Once inside, there is a long bar with tables along the wall.  There is a small room between the bar and restaurant with sofa’s and lounge chairs for long conversations over a relaxing glass of wine, beer, or drink of choice.

When Ted and I arrived at P & B, to be honest I was in a BAD mood.  It was cold and rainy outside. My hamstring was aching and I was feeling extremely drained from the work week.  As we approached the door, two guys were scurrying in (like RATS!) and let the door go right in front of me.  Hmmm… ok…there’s another door, let’s see what happens the second time.  The first guy goes through then the second, really short, squatty, balding guy and don’t you know, Short & SQUATTY lets the door go AGAIN!  Guy #1 tries to catch it and apologizes for his friends rudeness. Shorty ignores the situation.  I didn’t say a word and B-Lined to the opposite end of the bar.  DON’T YOU KNOW, THAT LITTLE NEMATODE WENT RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME AT THE BAR! Seriously, I was ready to ask him to pose for a photo and post it announcing that I had found the BIGGEST A- Hole in UTICA!  However, I was hearing my name being called.  It was Ted who was talking to someone at the bar.  I was in no mood to don a smile. I wanted BLOOD!  Calm down…… it was Phil, our quality mgr. at work.  Still trying to breath deep and let go of my anger,  but not being very successful, we talked for just a few minutes. Phil was so kind and wanted to buy us a drink but we declined.  I would have chugged it right there and asked for another.  It wouldn’t have given Phil a very good impression of the person he works for.

Enter… The Restaurant.

A big open room and not all the tables were filled.  We sat in the corner by the window so we could watch the ins and outs of the bar across the street “The Cage”.  Sounds like fun, right?!

We noticed the street lamps outside the window were going on and off. Amusing, somewhat annoying but still, we played a game with the lights and Ted ended up timing them.  43 seconds ON and 2 minutes OFF.  I think the city was trying to save on their National Grid bill, allowing The Cage to light the streets.

Anyway, dinner was so good. The wait staff was very personable and attentive.

We began with a small garden salad.  Ted had the special Sea Bass in a ginger beurre blanc sauce over caramelized fennel with a baked potato on the side. I had the cedar plank roasted salmon with a corn relish and steamed broccoli.

Ted INHALED the potato.  His comment before I saw it disappear was “They put everything on this potato, butter, sour cream and BACON! I never have it loaded like this. It’s so good!”

VANISH POTATO!

Then it was the bathroom discussion.  Ted came back from the bathrooms and said “You have to go to the bathroom”.  I said  “How would you know and, by the way, No I Don’t!”  He said “Really. Check out the doors. They go all the way to the ceiling and you gotta wonder if you’re going to be able to open it.”  Ok…I’ll go to the bathroom.  The things you do.. right?!

Yep. Big door.  Very tall. Very draconian.  Inside the bathroom, it was expansive, like the rest of the restaurant.  So glad I went.

We wrapped the meal up with a cup a jo that wasn’t hot enough but it was smooth, not bitter.  Since the flavor was so smooth, we didn’t miss the fact that they had no Splenda and we drank the coffee with only cream.

Wrapping up:  Pier’s & Blake Steakhouse is HIGHLY recommended.  The prices are typical of Utica high end restaurants.  The salmon was approximately $17.00 and Ted’s dinner was approximately $25.00.  Very good service.  Very good food.  Interesting bathrooms

If you’ve been to any new restaurants lately, what was your favorite memory of the place? The food? The décor?

I hinted that my favorite day of the week was Friday but I’m thinking that I don’t have a favorite one whole day. Friday evenings are my favorite nights and Saturday mornings are equally as wonderful.

Saturday morning, I get up when my eyes pop open which is usually too early for most but I love it. The air is fresh, it’s dark and peaceful. The best time to get started on a long run. Today was a rough start. Shane came downstairs and wanted to go out so I took him around the block then dropped him off at home. I set out on my run and made it a quarter mile when my stomach let out a scream that said “Go home NOW!”. Went back home and let the tummy calm down then set out once again. It took me a good 5 miles before I relaxed and got into a comfort zone. As usual, miles 7 to 11 seemed the longest. My feet and left knee started to ache at 15 1/2 but the day was cool, calm and made for running. 17 miles accomplished at 9:23. I’m thrilled with my pace for this run. My goal long run training pace is 9:20. I think that’s close enough to progress to 18 miles pretty soon.

About last night….

Ted and I went to The Hadley for dinner. A comfortable restaurant on Genesee Street in Utica by the Uptown Theater. There are two sides to The Hadley. One side is The Balkan, a more casual dining experience and the next room is The Hadley for gourmet dining, a bar area and live entertainment. I just love the décor

Ted began with a German beer that he was head over heels about. I thought it was too bitter but then I was enjoying my glass of crisp, cool, fruity Sauvignon Blanc.

The bread arrived at the table. You all know how I LOVE my bread! There was an interesting little roll among the bread slices. In only one bite, I had found bliss! Not this BLISS but the Ahhhhh kind of bliss.

It was jalapeno bread. So good! The bread served at Hadley and Balkan is from Heidelberg Bakery in Herkimer, New York.

Ted thought it might be a long wait for dinner and ordered the crab cake appetizer to hold off the hunger pains.

I had a little taste. The crab cake was meaty with crab, not over done with fillers like bread crumbs. It was moist and flavorful even without the sauce on the side. The salad tasted a bit like carrot and jicama. Light, fresh, crunchy and perfect with the crab.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t make a meal out of bread and appetizers so I ordered the Ahi Tuna au Poivre (peppered) with asparagus and white rice.

It was cooked to perfection and the asparagus was amazing.

We’ll continue to visit the Hadley and Balkan since the food is outstanding and the service very warm and friendly.

e.g. We were seated at a two table top. It was small and the waitress moved us in a blink. When she moved us, she broke a water glass and was very concerned and detailed in regards to cleaning it up before we were settled. The bartender, when I asked for a large glass of water, brought over bottled water with out question. Our own server who took our orders was polite and friendly, almost as if she had known us for years. What a super way to close out a tough week.

What’s so healthy about a cream pie?

The apricots of course!

For a dessert in a snap.  When unexpected friends drop in and you want to impress (although you never have to with friends).  When the family is SCREAMING for dessert.  Make this simple and mostly healthy treat.  It’s easy to keep the ingredients on hand since you just don’t know when you’ll need them.

Apricot Cream Pie – Serves 8

• 4 apricots – washed and sliced
• 4 TBS Healthy alternative margarine (e.g. Promise, Smart Balance) – or use unsalted butter
• 1 to 2 TBS brown sugar *If your apricots are on the sour side, use a bit more brown sugar
• 1 Honey Maid Graham cracker pie crust
• 8 Snack Pack Sugar Free Vanilla Pudding Packs
• chopped nuts (optional)

Melt the margarine/butter over medium heat in a frying pan.  Add the apricots and brown sugar and cook for about 5 minutes.  Allow to cool.

Fill the pie shell with all of the vanilla pudding and mound in the middle.

Decorate the top of the pudding with the sugared apricots.  Sprinkle with nuts.

What’s your favorite cream pie?

Up for a challenge? Joy Bauer Food Cures network is offering an exciting challenge.  “I Heart Summer Challenge,” a 2-week plan starting August 15th that will keep you looking and feeling great whether you’re at the beach or at home.  By following a combination of exercise and healthy eating tips, you’ll shed pounds and inches in just two weeks, and you’ll do it while having fun in the sun.  To enter, go to:  EVERYDAY HEALTH

The first 17 mile run.  A lot more to follow up until race day on November 20th.  It was tough and there was one very steep hill, just under a 1/4 mile long.  It hit at the 13 mile point and my legs had just tackled a gradual incline the previous 1 1/2 miles.  Ted met me on his bike at the 11 1/2 mile point.  He was on his way to breakfast with the guys then would tackle a longer, hilly bike ride himself.  That mile he rode along beside me passed by so quickly.  It was nice. The conversation took my mind of my tiring legs.  

My run began at 5:20 am.  It wasn’t quite light out.  I love beginning my long runs in the dark.  The quiet of the morning helps set the mood and prepares me for the long road ahead.  I went passed the college (nothing going on there).  Down the Parkway where all of two cars passed me.  Utica College was absolutely deserted.  I ran around the backside of the school and out onto the road by St. Luke’s Hospital.  The short decent into New York Mills was a welcome relief for my legs.  As I turned the corner towards the old Planet Fitness, a lady was walking a very black German Shepherd.  I SO wish I had my running buddy with me!  It was a little female.  I said “Aren’t they the best?  I have a male.”  She said “I just love her.”   I continued on, thinking of Shane and looking forward to the cooler weather when he would be able to go with me on longer runs.

As I hit French Road, I wondered when I would see Ted on his bike.  I was running low on water but didn’t want to dive into any place incase I missed him.  Right on Genesee Street and through New Hartford until I came to Hannaford’s Grocery Store in Washington Mills.  That was it. Ted or no Ted I needed water.  Short stop at the store and I continued on.  As I turned onto Oneida – THERE HE WAS!  He turned around and rode a slow mile with me until doing a U-E and heading towards breakfast.  Lucky him.  I still had over 4 miles to go. 

I decided not to take the Parkway home.  I was looking for an excuse to walk so I went up the steep hill into the golf course.  I walked it.  The overlapping trees in the road created a canopy of cooling relief from the open road I had been on for the past hour and a half.  No one in the golf course. I had it all to myself. 

The last 1 1/2 miles was tough.  I thought going down the long hill coming out of Valley View would feel great on my legs.  It didn’t . They were so sore by this point, nothing felt good. I made it home by 17.03 miles on the nose.  My hamstrings throbbing, feet hurting and my neck is sore.  Boy! Do I need a bath!

Food to Fuel the Recovery…

The BIG GIRL omelet:   3/4 cup egg beaters, broccoli, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, hot cherry pepper pieces, sweet potato (instead of bread/toast),salt-n-peppa, feta cheese and some olive oil to cook it all up.

And…don’t’ forget the cup-a-JOE!

Out with the Old, In with the New:  CAMERON’S

Ted and I have always enjoyed a local gourmet restaurant called Perugia’s.  A couple of weeks ago, I received an email from the proprietor saying they were closing for a week to do some redecorating, updating the menu, and renaming the business “Cameron’s”.   Now I thought Cameron was the chef but the chef is GREG.  Cameron is the son.  The son of who? Not sure, but next time I’ll find out.

The menu did change.  There are a lot more pasta dishes, all meatless with the option of adding meat or seafood.  There are a lot more chicken dish choices.  There were three fish entrees and all of the appetizers were meatless.  *There was a goat cheese quesadilla appetizer that sounded wonderful but I couldn’t talk Ted into it. Next time.

Due to the redecorating, the Mardi Gras masks were all off the walls. I asked Julie (the waitress –best waitress in town!) what happened to them. She said they were in a box in the back and were going to be sold.  I asked how much and Greg told her $275.  Too much.  I offered $200 and I would take them then and there. No go.  Bummer, ‘cause Ted and I sat there making plans how to rearrange our walls to accommodate the gorgeous masks.

They are paper mache, not ceramic.  One was broken and they all needed cleaning.  Still, maybe next time we go in, Greg will accept my offer.

In any event, the meal was FANTASTIC as usual.  We enjoyed the new Cameron’s and will keep it on top of our best restaurant list.

Ever been to Mardi Gras?  Do you have one of the masks?  *We have two small masks but they were purchased during our time in Venice not New Orleans.