It might seem odd that I want to write more posts while I’m on vacation, but these recaps are actually easier. They come together faster than my recipe posts because I’m not staging photos or inventing a backstory—I’m simply recounting the day.
Fast as a Rabbit
Today’s game of “Pass or Be Passed” was tougher than yesterday’s. I wanted to protect my unbeaten streak, and I encountered another runner who was playing the same game. I spent about five minutes accelerating to get ahead, then another twenty minutes making sure he didn’t overtake me. I’m a competitive runner and really dislike being passed.
At one point, after he closed in and I surged away, he yelled, “Damn it!” That told me he was racing me. In the end we struck up a conversation and became friends. He thanked me for pushing his pace and complimented my stride, which made my day.
For breakfast, Jess and I had Banana Bread in a Bowl.
Yes, I’m that person who packed a Magic Bullet for vacation. I had the space in my suitcase, so I figured, why not? After breakfast we dressed quickly and took the subway to Greenwich Village. Our first stop was Washington Square Park and the dog park, which had the cutest dogs. We even browsed the chess shops—did you know they make fruit-and-vegetable chess sets? Before we knew it, it was time for lunch.
We walked to Lifethyme Cafe, where I ordered the pumpkin lasagna.
Jessica chose the eggplant Parmesan, which didn’t contain traditional cheese—dairy or vegan—but rather layers of eggplant, carrots, zucchini, tomato sauce and other vegetables and spices formed into a lasagna-style dish.
After lunch we headed to 30th Street to visit The High Line, an elevated public park built on a former rail line that runs above parts of New York City.
The views were beautiful and peaceful—exactly the kind of spot that makes you want a snack. Fortunately, I’d picked up a treat at Lifethyme before we left:
A cookie the size of my head!
Over the years I haven’t always loved the flavor of Lifethyme’s desserts, but there were free samples of Chocolate-Raspberry Tollbooth Cookies on the counter. At the mention of “chocolate raspberry,” I had to try one. The photo doesn’t capture how good they were. They were delicious, and I guarded that giant cookie jealously—Jessica had grabbed a cupcake from Crumbs Bake Shop while we were walking, so she was fine.
The cookie reminded me of my Healthy Chocolate-Chip Cookies recipe. If you’ve tried that recipe, you know I like a little baking-soda lift in my cookies. Lifethyme’s cookies had that same lift, plus they were 100% whole-grain and included walnuts and raspberries. I’m definitely adding raspberries to my cookies the next time I bake.