LFM: Barrel 44

How's the week treating everyone?  I wasn't too pleased to look outside and see snow again but I suppose that pesky Pennsylvania groundhog was right!  Let's spice things up with a Local Foodie Moment in spite of the little rodent.

Recently we got dinner with a group of our friends to celebrate one of them moving to Columbus (yey!).  After looking through the options for a Saturday night for a larger group we landed on Barrel 44 on High Street in the Short North.  The recently relocated friend likes whiskey and most of the people in our group like whiskey so it was a bit of a no brainer.

So being the unique creature I am, I was the only one who doesn't like whiskey in a group of whiskey drinkers at a whiskey bar.  What do people like that order?  Enter the Dirty Burn Martini.  This martini was a spicy twist on a classic Dirty Martini, made with pepper infused vodka and served with a pepperoncini and an olive.  I'm not sure why but I've been gravitating towards Dirty Martinis lately, I blame my bestie Holly, she started it!  Anyways, I really liked the spice of this and it was a perfect cue up for my dinner.

By the way, they do have a very good cocktail list with liquors other than whiskey so even if you aren't a fan you'll find something you'll like.

Chris ordered a julep of some sort, I wish I could tell you what all was in it but I forgot to take notes.  He liked it, said it was nice and refreshing but a little sweet.

Our friend Sandra was sitting next to me so she helped me blog (thanks Sandra!).  She ordered the New Old Fashioned which again I can't really tell you what's in it because I'm a silly that didn't take notes.  In our group of friends we always pass around our cocktails for others to try (if they are interested), sometimes people end up liking others' drinks more than the ones they ordered.  In this case, it was Chris and Sandra so they switched drinks and were very happy they did!

I ordered a small 44 salad to start.  It had a great mix of greens, dried cherries, candied pecans, hearts of palm, goat cheese and beet curls with a burgundy vinaigrette.  Typically I don't get too worked up over a salad but this was very yummy, well dressed but not soggy, and the toppings all added great depth of flavors.

Chris, along with three others at our table, ordered the Whiskey Chicken Sandwich.  This was grilled chicken, with cheddar cheese, smoked bacon and special housemade whiskey glaze, with a side of fries.  Everyone seemed to really like it!

I ordered the Mojo Chicken Flatbread, adobo spiced chicken, with black bean jicama salsa, grilled red peppers, queso fresco, cilantro and a citrus mojo glaze.  This was very good, I'm a big sucker for jicama in salsa, it adds a great crunch and texture!  Kudos to Barrel 44 for even using it, its not common and I love it!  There's so many toppings on the flatbread that its a little tricky to eat but still all the flavors were very well paired.

Service was a little slow but we had read that in reviews beforehand and we didn't really have anything pressing to go to later so it didn't bother us.  The restaurant itself is unique in that it has three parallel rooms of tables ranging from high tops to regular dinner tables.  It seems like they use this technique to accommodate larger groups when necessary while still giving other diners a private dining feel.  The website tells of the building's history as a speakeasy so the owners kept that vibe throughout the restaurant with dim lighting, darker walls, etc.

Overall we had a good meal and liked being on the north end of the Short North where there's still options of bars to go to after dinner (and some parking available) but not right smack dab in the middle of the hustle and bustle (The Cap and The Hub areas can be such a zoo!).

The Oscars are this weekend, yey!  Chris and I have a busy day planned for Saturday with wedding prep so it will be nice to snuggle in on Sunday for the glitz and glam of the Academy Awards.  Stay tuned for my review of the red carpet!

Cheers!
Steph

Suja Fresh Start Three Day Cleanse

Almost the weekend, friends!  As promised, here is my review of the Suja Fresh Start Cleanse!  My friend Asha wanted to give cleansing a try and since she knew I had done one previously we decided to buddy up and tackle one together.  We did our research and decided on the Suja Fresh Start Three Day Cleanse since we could purchase the juices at our local Whole Foods store.  Then we picked our dates and tried (failed) to prep ourselves.  As you can see from my previous post I failed miserably at pre cleanse prep since I went a little overboard while back at Miami the weekend before.  (Eggs benedict over mac and cheese, REALLY Steph?)

Anyways, I went to Whole Foods to grab my juices and they were running a little low on some of them so I got as many as I could then decided I'd come back the next day after they restocked.  The program suggests the following juices per day:

Breakfast: Glow (apples, celery, cucumber, spinach, collard greens, kale and mint)
Mid-Morning: Fuel (carrots, orange, apple, pineapple, lemon and turmeric)
Lunch: Purify (carrots, apple, celery, cucumber, beet and lemon)
Mid-Afternoon: Fiji (apple, celery, cucumber, spinach, collard greens, kale, lemon and ginger)
Dinner: Green Supreme (apple, kale and lemon)
Dessert: Vanilla Cloud (coconut, honey, almonds, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg)

Turns out I didn't really need to go back because 1) I was sick and lazy and didn't want to leave the house and 2) I got too full after half the bottle leaving me with plenty extras.

I will say this cleanse was a little more challenging than the last one.  I'm not sure if it was because I wasn't feeling well or if the juices weren't as good.  I'm venturing to say it was a little bit of both.  I found my least favorite juices to be those with celery in them (which was most of them).  I love snacking on celery but it tends to overpower the juice making it a bit gag worthy.  I really liked the Green Supreme and I guess if I had a second favorite it would be the Vanilla Cloud.

Most of the days I skipped one of the midday snack juices because I was too full from the previous.  Additionally, since I wasn't feeling well and was taking meds I decided to play it a little safe and incorporate raw foods at dinner time (mixed green salad or broth based vegetable soup) along with half of the designated juice.  Just before bedtime after drinking the Vanilla Cloud the suggested three hours before, I tended to feel a little bloated but it subsided by the time I woke up in the morning.  

The cost breakdown came to $162 for the three days so about $54 a day.  This is actually on the cheaper side of the cold pressed juices you can buy but as to be expected it is a bit more than the DIY versions.

I forgot to measure my waist to see if I lost any inches but I did remember to get on the scale before and after.  I ended up loosing four pounds which puts me back under the holiday weight I was trying to shake. But as I did last time I did the cleanse more to reform my eating habits than loose a bunch of weight.  Cleansing really teaches you to listen to your body (one of my 2014 goals) and take your time enjoying food.  With all the hustle and bustle and stress we experience daily it takes a toll on our bodies, it's important to refuel with foods that help our bodies handle it.

I think I will definitely continue to give different cleanses a try, although I'm hoping after the wedding we'll buy a juicer so I can do the DIY versions.  I'd like to get better about scheduling them maybe three to four times a year just to give my digestive tract a little boost!

Wedding planning and preparations are in full force so my advance apologies if my blogging is lacking in the next few months.  I still have some yummy recipes to share and next weekend is the Oscars so you know I'll have a fashion recap for you!

Cheers!
Steph

Seeing RED!

Happy weekend!  Unfortunately, I came down with a nasty little cough I picked up last weekend (so not ideal) so I was bed/couch bound for a few days.  BUT speaking of last weekend, it was downright fabulous!  We went to Miami because I had some Young Alumni Council meetings and we went to a show stopping event (more details on that below) plus we were with great friends at one of our favorite places in the world and so yeah it just makes my heart smile!  Here's a few pics from all the fun!

Ice Sculpture/Raw Bar at the Student Center Opening Gala

YAC friends all dressed up!

Breakfast splurge at Patterson's,
Eggs Benedict over Mac and Cheese (like woah!) with Loaded Homefries

Ok let's get serious about shoes now.  With awards show season as well as a super season of Courtney Loves Dallas on my regular TV watch list I couldn't help but splurge on some new shoes.  A girl needs a winter pick me up when its negative temps and dumping snow, right?!  Right.  Anyways, I had looked at these red suede Jessica Simpson pumps a few times but always talked myself out of them for one reason or another.  Their price dropped on 6pm.com and I recently found some outfit images on Pinterest that just downright inspired me so BOOM, they went in my shopping cart!

These little cuties will be perfect with tights and a skirt or slacks and a sweater for the office then can be transitioned into evening attire with a cute dress or some skinnies and a great top.  The versatility is so there (aka it's soo justified to add yet another pair of shoes to my collection)!

Originally I was looking at going with a more muted, Bordeaux like red but in true Miami girl fashion I fell for the Lipstick Red hook, line and sinker.  To christen these lovely school spirited (sort of) shoes I wore them at the opening gala of the new student center at Miami!  It seems like just yesterday I was hearing the university advancement staff talk about this new fundraising endeavor we'd be embarking on and now its here, a full fledged building for future Miamians to enjoy!  (Sorry am I bragging about my alma mater?  Oh well, #loveandhonor)  What was unique about this particular fundraising campaign was it was very grassroots.  They provided the incentive of getting your name in the building for a fulfilled pledge so of course as graduating seniors Chris and I decided to take advantage. 

Chris and I next to our names in the building

I probably should have taken these little kicks for a spin before the gala to break them in because I ended up with some pretty sore feet by the end of the evening but #fashionispain sometimes.  There was another pair of shoes in my shopping cart from 6pm.com but I'll share those at a later date!

I finished my Suja Juice Cleanse this week so stay tuned for a review plus I've got a soup recipe to warm you up during these wintery blasts we're having!

Cheers, stay warm!
Steph

Bonus LFM: Hubbard Grille

I know, I know, another LFM you say?  Yes ANOTHER LFM friends!  Recently some girlfriends and I went to Hubbard Grille in the Short North for happy hour.  I had heard mixed reviews from other foodie friends so I was a little worried but all in all we had a great experience.  I mean good food, great drinks, good girltalk and great friends, tell me how it could get any better?  Well maybe if Luke Bryan walked in, paid for everything and danced on our table, but that's a little far fetched and highly unlikely I suppose.  (Can you tell I just went to his concert last month?  Still obsessing!)

Anyways, we of course, started off with cocktails.  Since happy hour end time was fast approaching somehow our table ended up looking like this:

Actually there's not a mystery to why it turned out like that, I hang with a fabulous crowd that likes a good deal and likes to drink, no wonder we're friends!

ANYWAYS, a couple of us got Juniper Hubcaps, which is a downright delicious gin drink that I want to drink almost every day of my gin loving life.  This lovely concoction is Watershed Four Peel Gin, Avive Natural Almond Sparkling, a splash of cranberry juice served up with a cranberry garnish.

A couple girls got the Buttles Bohemian, Skyy Vodka, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur and pineapple juice floated with champs served up.  I snagged a sip of this one and it was a little sweet for my tastes but its definitely fun and fruity.  (Sorry no picture!)

Some also tried the Agave Cooler (this started as my second round drink), Watershed Vodka, pure agave, pink grapefruit and lime juices and fresh basil served on the rocks.  Although a very pretty drink it was far too sweet for me so I sent it back for another Juniper Hubcap.

Then it was time for some food to go with our drinks.  In an effort to not be completely annoying (hah when is that ever not in my nature?) I only snapped pictures of my food.  I ordered two small plates to try instead of a full entree.  I got the Short Ribs & Shrimp, minus the shrimp (this girl still hasn't warmed up to that little crustacean) pulled beef short rib over white cheddar grits and tomato jus.  These were super!  The grits were nice and creamy, the short rib very tender, YUM!

I also got the Crispy Brussel Sprouts, flash fried brussel sprouts with a rioja reduction.  These were so yummy!  The flash frying brings out the nuttiness of the sprout and the reduction adds just the right sweet and tart balance.

Our service was good, our waitress was nice and did a great job suggesting cocktails, etc.  She also kept us cognizant of the happy hour timeline so we could order at the discounted prices.  They have quite a bit of dining space and a range of table sizes for varying parties.  It has a fun chic atmosphere and they seem to host some fun events (champagne parties around the holidays, etc.).  It is one of those places you always pass in the Short North but forget to try but I think if you make the stop you'll be happy you did, even if its just for a Juniper Hubcap!

This weekend we're headed to Miami (not Florida, unfortunately) for the opening of the new student center!  I got a sneak peak of it when I was on campus in November but I can't wait to see it complete!  Up next I'm doing another cleanse so you'll see my review of that as well as some new shoes!

Cheers!
Steph