Win some, lose some...

Cardiovascular WIN of the day:  I just got the super-secret-early-registration email for the Las Vegas Rock & Roll Marathon.  It's the bargain-basement price of $121 (plus the $10 in cursed fees) for either the Half or the Full.  I think doing the Half would be a wiser decision, because I will still need to have energy and stamina to go out and dance all night shortly after getting my medal.  But, temptation got the better of me and I signed up for the Full....it was the same price as the half, due to this super-secret-sale, and I will have just completed the Richmond Full Marathon less than a month earlier.  I think I'll still be in Full-Marathon shape, barring any unforeseen injuries or problems.  I can always downgrade, but I didn't want to sign up for the half, then decide I would rather upgrade and end up paying an extra $30-50.  So, still undecided, but at leas tI'm signed up.
I'm very excited!  I was googling the race today--people can get married while they run, at the "run-thru" wedding chapel.  How crazy?....How ultimately Viva Las Vegas.
Best of all, the race is 4 days before my 30th birthday--what better way to close out my twenties than a brisk run down the Las Vegas strip??

PS - I want to do this race dressed as a Running-Elvis!:

Cardiovascular FAILURE of the day:  I was planning on not running this evening, but to cross-train and weight-train with an hour-long BodyPump class followed by an hour-long spinning class.  I love both classes, because they take place right after work, and are an easy way for me to fit in two hours of working out without having it actually feel like two hours of working out.  Also, it protects my poor knees from the harshness of running on consecutive days.  But, while I remembered most all of my gym essentials that I usually forget: sports bra, white socks, hair ties, etc. I forgot my sneakers--a rather essential element to working out in public and not an item I can quickly pick up at the sports store en route to class. I'm annoyed with myself and disappointed.
I usually wear my running sneakers to work a la Melanie Griffith in "Working Girl," but as we are expecting a monsoon-style rain this evening, I wore my boots and completely forgot my sneaks.  I'm pretty sure I would get several double-takes if I strolled into spin class in my wellies and gym shorts.  I would make for quite a sight!  I will now have to pay full-price on the metro to go home (at peak-of-the-peak-fare time) which I detest doing, only to try to replicate a similar long workout at home.  It's harder....there's no instructor and once I get home, my motivation begins to lag.  Cross your fingers that I can construct and complete some semblance of home-workout...I only have 19 days until the National Marathon....dun, dun, DUN!

Let's book it!!

Happy FAT Tuesday, everyone!! I actually, for better or worse, had a very "skinny" Tuesday, believe it or not.  I did a great morning Ab workout, ran 4 miles (doing some much-needed work on my speed) and settled in with a light dinner to watch my very FAVORITE episode of Sex & the City--The Final Episode.  (I cry every time Mr. Big shows up in the hotel in Paris....ahhhh....love love Mr. Big.)

"I am a person who is looking for love. Real love. Ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can't-live-without-each-other love."

Anyway, back to my blog....This spring, my Alumni Weekend is the weekend of April 17.  (My college did not have a football team, but we have a killer lacrosse team, so instead of homecoming in the fall, we have Alumni Weekend in the spring.) It will be the first Alumni Weekend I will be able to attend in several years, because since 2008, I've had work-related travel that always falls on the same weekend.  So I'm thrilled the stars seemed to have aligned--I'm free that weekend! I got the brochure in my mailbox today, and the lineup of events is surprisingly fun-filled and all-inclusive.

My only small concern is that my college is a very small liberal arts college so, with every year that passes since graduation, I feel as if I know less and less faces around campus.  For that reason, I always approach AW with a little trepidation.  I worry now that I've become so far removed from college, I won't have as much fun and/or I won't feel as connected.  I graduated in 2003 and most of my close friends from college will not be attending.  Of those that are going, the majority will be bringing their husbands, babies and fetuses in tow...which means, they most likely will not be sharing a cheap hotel with a lushy 29 year old.  This typically also means less drinking (no drinking in the case of the pregnant ladies) less dancing and earlier nights.  I don't like that part of growing up...Alumni Weekend should be a complete reversion back to college age antics, right?  drinking until all hours of the night, dancing on tables at the frat houses, watching 40-year old men relive their youth by sliding off rooftops on mattresses....Hmmmm....even if that doesn't happen,  hopefully, it will still be a fantastic time regardless! 

This year, it should be especially interesting because, it just so happens that AW coincides with the Blue Ridge Parkway Marathon & Half Marathon, which takes place only a few short miles down the road.  I've been itching to run this since I found out about it last winter, and I cannot wait to sign up!  (Actually, I can wait because obviously I waited until this week when the price goes up.)  Best of all, I think I've convinced at least one of my sorority sisters to run it with me. Hurrah!  It will be her first half marathon, which makes me extra-excited. (It'll be the fourth time I'll have run with a first-timer!)

Anyway, this week I'm taking action. No more procrastinating. I'm registering for the race and booking the hotel tomorrow.  Hopefully I'll find a roommate with whom to be debaucherous.... stay tuned....

Miami Assessment

Before I left for Miami two weeks ago, I created an ambitiously healthy list of my goals for the trip.  I did not stick to them all, but I think I did a decent job of not over-doing it the ways I have in the past.  (Sidenote: I also got an offer to stay at the Miami River Inn when I come down for the marathon next January--apparently it's right by the start line! Yay!--Hopefully they'll remember me, when I call them to reserve a room next winter.)


Here is my diet assessment:

First goal: No more than 1 alcohol unit per day.
Grade: C.  I'm giving myself a C because about half of the days I had two or more, but half of the days I stuck to one. On the few nights I had to buy dinner for myself, booze was so expensive ($9 draft beer and $14 Pinot Noir) that it was easy to stick to just one.  My wallet wouldn't let me over-do it!  But, sometimes during the cocktail hours I found myself so wound-up from the stress of the day (we are going, going, going most of the day and it's hard to slow down,) and so thirsty (it was Miami, after all) that one small glass of wine would not cut it.  I had to go in for a second round.  To my credit, I never drank wine that was brought around to our table, and I only had more than two drinks on our last evening in town.  We had purchased the alcohol for two events, and could only return some of it (we couldn't return the bottles that had been on ice.) So, because it would have all gone to waste, the remaining staff members on the trip, including me, polished off a good portion of the leftovers. Even then, I still did not have too much, but definitely more than 3 to 4 glasses. I probably should have given myself an F-grade, since I rarely stuck to just one glass, but overall I think I showed restraint.

Second Goal: No hotel room munchies.
Grade: C.  I did buy two (TWO!) big bags of Peanut Butter Easter-Egg M&M's.  But, I shared them with the group...so, I did NOT consume both bags in their entirety. (This doesn't sound like much, but it's a great feat of willpower for me.) The only other items in my room were low-fat protein shakes (for breakfast) and 0-calorie Vitamin Waters.  Compared to the chocolate covered pretzels, chips, etc. that I normally have on hand, this is exemplary.

Third Goal: Limit coffee.
Grade: A-.  I officially cannot do this and be a functional human being.  There were no coffee makers in the rooms (a hotel pet peeve of mine) so I had to buy a $3 cup of coffee at the hotel bar. I have a problem with this, so I tried to skip my morning coffee.  By 11:30am, my head would not stop throbbing.  I could barely focus on meetings.  I quickly GPS-ed a Starbucks for an emergency pit-stop.  (Fortunately, my boss is a Starbucks fanatic as well, so this was not a big inconvenience.)  I know many people tout the merits of a caffeine-free existence, but unless I'm carrying a baby, I'm going to continue to fuel this addiction.  I did try though, and I surely suffered. So I gave myself a higher grade. (I'd be such an easy grader if I was a teacher!)
 
Forth Goal: Only eat dessert (or really any of the food) if it looks and subsequently tastes REALLY delicious!!
Grade: A!  I actually did this!  I stayed away from the desserts I don't like.  If I tasted something and it wasn't what I wanted, I stopped eating it...including the over-cooked filet mignon I was served for dinner Saturday night.  Also, in contrast to previous trips of this nature, the salad courses were always really delicious and varied (Not just a house salad, but some really interesting options with a light dressing!) So, I filled up on salads frequently. Hooray!
 
Fifth(ish) Goal: Try to workout.
Grade: F.  I worked out one morning. Just one.  It was all I could muster.  I was on my feet a lot, so I hope that balanced things out a bit, but most mornings it was all I could do to rouse myself in time to shower and be in the lobby on time. I'm not surprised because that's how these trips usually turn out, but I think that's why being extra vigilant about my diet is even more important when traveling.

The beautiful & historic Biltmore Hotel (would be even more beautiful with in-room coffee makers....)

All in all, I was proud of myself.  I enjoyed the good food and social atmosphere without overdoing it, the way I have done in the past.  Now I have to be even more vigilant as the National Marathon is less than three weeks away....

Getting caught up!!

I'm back (somewhat sadly) from sunny warm Miami! It was definitely wonderful to get out of the cold, exceptionally windy Mid-Atlantic region and into the warm sunny perfection that is South-Floridian weather.  I will be posting a few blog-entries that I wanted to post while traveling, but I didn't have time, so stay tuned....

Java Head: Site of Dinner last Sunday. Beautiful.

I am happy to report that I did not do [too] badly diet-wise in Florida. There were some caloric indiscretions, but I think for the most part, they were thoughtful, balanced and usually worth every calorie. (Yes, there were Peanut-Butter Easter Egg M&M's involved, but, they were utterly amazing.  The egg shape means more peanut butter in the PB-to-Chocolate ratio, and they are, in my opinion, absolute candy perfection. I can't help myself!)  Otherwise, during my trip, I had a small protein shake for breakfast most days, a larger lunch (no alcohol at lunch for me, thanks!) and usually a small and/or carb-free dinner of salad and fish. I did indulge in 1-2 glasses of wine at dinner, but that was it.  And with an hour of cocktails before dinner, it's hard to not have anything.  The only exception was the staff party on the last night in town--that involved more drinking and eating, less sleep and lots of much-needed rowdiness.

Exercise, on the other hand, was a different story entirely--non-existent, unless you count the 16 hours I spent on my feet each day.  (That has to be burning something, right?)  I might also include calories burned by the ridiculously heavy laptop I had to lug to several events....I thought it was going to pull my shoulder out of its socket! It made an ipad is sound more and more appealing...

Now, I'm realizing that I only have 23 days left to prepare for the National Marathon (EEK!) and I need to crack down and work on my strength and speed, so I don't get swept off the course before the finish!  I did 1.5 hours of weight training yesterday (Body Pump and 30min of Abs-of-Steel) and also a quick 1.5 miles run on the treadmill to get my body back into the swing of things.  This morning I did a different, more strenuous ab workout, and I'd love to be able to go on a longer run this evening, but I completely forgot I said I'd be my girlfriend's "plus-one" to her office party tonight, so I won't have time for any cardio.  I will also have to be careful not to over indulge tonight.  The clock is ticking....with the exception of tonight and possibly St. Patrick's Day, I will have to be exceptionally diligent for the rest of this month.  Cross your fingers, we are counting down!!

2010's Walt Disney World's Princess Half Marathon: A very belated race report on a very magical race!

Walt Disney World is hosting their third annual princess-themed half marathon today, and to honor the occasion, and since I cannot attend this year's event, I thought I'd write a race report of last year's race. (March 7, 2010.)

This was one of my most favorite races of all time.  Mainly because it occurs in Disney World--and I LOVE Disney World. (No joke--LOVE--pure and true.)  I did a brief stint there as a food-server in Epcot after college, and being there just makes me happy and turns me into a giddy six year old.  Also, the race took place during the late winter, a time of year when the cold weather has typically driven me to the brink of insanity, and I need a temperate climate to revive my spirits.  Lastly, my younger sister had agreed to run it with me--her first half marathon ever, and my second.  She had also agreed to dress up in Disney-Princess-themed garb for the race which, in my opinion, is absolutely essential to any Disney-related running event. 

I dressed as Snow White and Anne-Elyse dressed as Tinkerbell. (she was going to try to be Belle form Beauty and the Beast, but since I was crafting the race-day outfits myself, I was worried she would just look like a girl who really loves the color yellow. A lot.  This was before I discovered sparkle skirts...if only I'd known.)  For my Snow White outfit, I bought a yellow swim-skirt and hot-glued red fringe and red ribbons and bows to it.  Then I bought a royal blue top and put some white fringe around the neckline and a red ribbon in the center.  I was slightly concerned about the fact that I could not train at all in my race-day outfit (I was not going to run around in the snow in my bright yellow and red swim-skirt!) but thinking back, I actually have never run a race in a training outfit---I always seem to end up in something brand-new and untested.  To alleviate anxiety, I made my collar velcro so I could remove it if it started to irritate me. I made Anne-Elyse a bright lime-green glittery tutu out of tulle, and found a bright green tank top for her to run in.  I brought along wings to complete the ensemble, but we thought running with elastic bands under her armpits might be really irritating, so we left them in the suitcase.  She did wear a green and purple tiara and she carried a magic wand all 13.1 miles--impressive! (And, all my fears were unwarranted.  The weather was cool and sunny, so my outfit was as comfortable as it possibly could have been!)

I didn't have much opportunity to train for long runs because the two months before the race, the DC-Metropolitan region was hit with record-breaking snowfall (The "snowpocalypse," as I'm found of calling it).  I remember trying to do a long run outside and having it become a hike/stomp through mounds of snow and mud.  Often I was clinging to a stop sign or a street post to balance myself as I climbed around the snow-covered sidewalks, and I remember thinking that I would be so terribly upset if I twisted my ankle in the snow and mud the weeks before my race and couldn't run. (Thankfully that didn't happen!)

We left DC on Friday morning.  The race wasn't until Sunday, but this gave us a day to relax, pick up our race packet and wander around before the actual race-day.  This turned out to be a great decision, because apparently the expo was packed with people on Saturday.  (Friday it was busy, but far from crowded.)  Even waiting for our plane at the airport had a tremendous sense of occasion. A lot of women were traveling with us who were also running...some of them were even wearing their tiaras on the plane!  It made me so excited for the race.  Check-in at the hotel was the same way.  Lots of women who were so excited to be there!  (It really IS a magical place!)

Expo at Disney's "Wide World of Sports" complex.

Our packets left a lot to be desired.  The expo was great, with lots to look at and shop for (AE & I presumptuously bought some snazzy "I did it!" tee-shirts.) But the packet was skimpy for the price we paid to run the race.  The shirt was champion and either white or baby-blue (shouldn't a princess shirt be hot-pink or something really vibrant?)  Also, the race was sponsored by sharpie, so you'd think they'd give you a sharpie or something....no.  Not much. The thing I thought was really fun was that the race bibs had our names on them "Princess Mary-Michael" and "Princess Anne-Elyse!"  I loved that!  They also were color coordinated to match with your favorite princess--a small but fun and magical touch!

The night before the race, we ate a light and early dinner at the "Earl of Sandwich" in Downtown Disney, then went back to the room to rest up.  As we were getting ready for bed, Snow White (the full-length movie) was actually on TV!  I took this as a sign that race day would be great--princessy and successful!  I put some finishing touches on our outfits, set at least three alarms, and we fell asleep.  We had to be on the bus heading to the start line before 4:30 a.m. (two hours before the start of the race! Ugh....I don't care how much I love Disney, I still did not welcome Mickey Mouse's cheerful voice calling me at 3:30 am to tell me to get out of bed!)  I probably got about eight hours of sleep, but it was not restful peaceful sleep because I was so worried about missing my alarm.  I kept jolting awake thinking I was late....

4am: The line for the bus outside of our hotel.

A small cross-section of the insanely large crowd!

All too soon, it was actually time to get out of bed and ready to race.  I mixed up some delicious instant oatmeal, and my had usual pre-race banana baby food, and we headed out to join the masses (& I mean masses) outside the lobby of our hotel.  The line just to catch the bus was unbelievably long!  Both runners and spectators were filed in line, waiting to head out to Epcot to the start line.  Since the sun hadn't come up yet, it was a nippy thirty-eight degrees outside...my swim skirt and knee socks were not exactly keeping me warm.  When the bus finally arrived at our hotel to take us to the start, it was a relief to take refuge in the heated bus for a while.  (We were laughing at all of our comrades who were clamoring to get of the bus as soon as it parked.  We stayed put and were the last two people off.) We finally emerged from our warm sanctuary and made our way to bag check and the bathrooms.  We had brought some garbage bags to put over ourselves while we waited for the race to start, but those did very little (nothing) to keep out the cold.  Fortunately, the thousands of runners surrounding us provided a bit of body heat....the crowds were enormous.  I really couldn't believe how many runners were there, and how organized it was.  Disney is great at crowd-control if nothing else!  

Dawn at Epcot. CHILLY!!

Snow White! (& one of the very few male runners!)

A few more spirited male runners: Minnie Mouse & Belle

Cinderella - she must have been freezing.

Trash Bags (did nothing to keep us warm)

There were TONS of wonderful costumes and fun tee-shirts too!  Almost everyone running was channeling their inner-princess---even the rare male runners! I was one out of a sea of hundreds of Snow Whites, each with their own take on the wardrobe.  Anne-Elyse  had lots of tutu-ed companions as well.

Go Time!

The race started with tremendous fanfare. Cinderella's fairy godmother was there at the start, and they set off fireworks at the beginning of each wave.  There were so many runners, it took us almost thirty minutes to actually cross the start line.  (We were in the back because it was Anne-Elyse's first race.  Even though she's a better/faster runner than me, if she couldn't prove her time, she was in the back of the pack.)  It was almost daylight by the time we got started.

The first few miles were mostly spent weaving in and around the walkers. (I quickly realized there are a lot of walkers in the Disney races who are not necessarily avid runners, but very avid Disney fans!) We chatted about boys and life, and pretty soon three miles were already under our belts.  Also fortunately, as the sun came up, and we kept pressing along, we started thawing out a bit and the weather became quite pleasant and nice...perfect running weather!

I had my camera at the ready throughout the whole race so I could snap a photo at a moments notice.  The odd and most frustrating thing about this race (and probably all Disney races) is that there are characters along the course, and lots of opportunities to take picture.  For me, it's a constant mental battle between my inner-competitor, who wants a great time, and my inner-Disney Princess, who wants to pause for every photo opportunity.  Anne-Elyse, being slightly less enthralled with the Princesses and also nervous about her first-ever half marathon, was game to keep moving, only stopping here and there for a quick snapshot. We agreed that we would only stop for characters with short lines.  This meant we missed Belle, Cinderella & Pocahontas.  But we still had time to stop with lots of other characters along the way! (I did say my one exception to this rule was if I saw Snow White, but it was not an issue because she didn't show. Boo-hoo.)

Almost tripped on the downhill sidewalk while snapping this.

makeshift bathroom.

Before long, we were making our way through the gates to the Magic Kingdom parking lot, and Space Mountain loomed on the skyline.  We entered the park from "backstage," not through the main entrance, and there were a few porta-potties lined up before we entered the park.  Unfortunately, for two sisters with small bladders, the lines at the porta-pots were exceptionally long.  (It was a predominantly female race, after all.)  Interestingly, about 200 yards from the porta-pots, a small cluster of shameless (or desperate) women, were dashing off into the bushes to relief themselves.  I've never seen this in a race before or since, but AE & I immediately followed suit.  We veered off course and ran into the woods.  There was a small clearing that had become the makeshift restroom.  We took care of business, had a quick laugh about having just urinated in public in the Magic Kingdom, and started running again.

A few minutes later, we were cruising up Main Street with Cinderella's castle in front of us.  I almost wanted to slow down to prolong the view and the feeling I had--it was an exciting moment, and the sun was rising beautifully above the castle.  We paused very briefly for a picture in front of the castle, and kept going.  Running up to and through the castle were by far, the highlights of the race.  I've walked through the castle dozens, if not hundreds, of times but there was something about running through it during the race with the camera man snapping your picture that was extra-exciting.  those brief fleeting moments made the race worth the price of admission (which, if you're at all familiar with Disney races you know, is not cheap.)

Sadly, after we emerged form the castle, we were ushered out of the theme park pretty fast.  The next few miles, seven through nine, were a bit on the quiet side....there was still entertainment along the way (Thank you, Jack Sparrow!....although the line was too long for a picture with him.)

The last mile and a half was heading back into Epcot, doing one quick lap around "FutureWorld"  then crossing the finish line.  As we had been running at the same leaisurely pace for most of the race, I was expecting more of the same....maybe a few extra pictures of the park and the characters in the last mile.  But, Anne-Elyse turned to me as we passed mile-marker 12 and said, "ok, let's just bang this last mile out." She then started sprinting toward the Finish line!  She's a naturally better runner than me, but also I was not in tip-top shape anyway. I was not sure I'd be able to just "bang that last mile out."  But, I was not going to let AE cross the finish line that far ahead of me! I picked up my pace and started running as fast as I could after her. 

Anne-Elyse heading toward the finish!

Ursula (with Blue Body-Paint)

The park was now officially opened for guests, thankfully, because people started cheering for me as I ran past--definitely a pace (& mood) booster!  Some of the keener spectators actually caught my name on my race-bib, but most just yelled "Go Snow White" as I dashed by.  As we ran around the international gateway, I noticed that the Disney characters got more plentiful and closer together (again, an internal dilemma between my competitive runner brain and my disney-addict brain.) However, I could not stop and snap pictures or take much notice, because I was barely keeping up with AE.  Sorry Evil Stepmother--I'll have to see you later.  Peace Out Mickey & Minnie--we will catch up at the character brunch! 

I ended up rolling across the finish line only a few seconds behind Anne-Elyse.  I didn't catch her, but I didn't lose her either...We were awarded our tiara shaped medals, we grabbed as much free fruit and Luna bars as we could stuff into our arms, then we picked up our bags at the check-in and headed to the Contemporary Hotel for an enormous breakfast buffet.  (Our waitress had done the Goofy Challenge!!) We then headed back to our hotel where we lounged/napped in the sun for a few hours before hitting the parks. 

Doing this race--my first "Disney Race" was amazing.  Also, doing it with my sister was a fabulous time. I'm glad I got to run with her during her first half marathon.  I'm currently trying to convince her to do the Goofy Challenge 2012 with me in January.  She's agreed tocome to Walt Disney World, but I'm not sure if she's game for two days of getting up at 3am to go for an extended run.....not to worry, I have 10 months to change her mind!!

Post-Race (& post-nap) Mini-Golf!

I hope everyone who ran this year's princess-race has just as magical an experience as I did! Good luck runners!!

Mary-Michael's South Beach Diet

Yes, bloggies I'm off to sunny warm Miami, FL--where the days (working days) will be long, the nights will be brief (more like a nap between work-functions), and a diet will be hard to stick with!  Nevertheless, I'm going to give it my best shot....here are some of my guidelines for my trip:

1. No more than 1 alcohol unit per day.  A difficult task, considering both lunch and dinner are served with alcohol, and long cocktail hours are hard to manage without a cocktail, but a necessary one because if I have to work 16 hour days and be alert, alcohol is my enemy.

2. No hotel room munchies. (No, going to CVS to buy snacks to keep in my room and munch on late in the evening.)  This is a hard thing for me, because I eat more when I'm sleepy and I also don't register exactly how much I've eaten when I'm at a large party.  I'm talking and mingling and in the meantime, I've done damage to the bread basket, killed a few glasses of wine, and helped myself to several passed cheese puffs. So, the last thing I should do is go back to my hotel and "relax" (pig-out) on twizzler bites and chocolate-covered pretzels late at night. It's a bad habit.

3.  Limit coffee.  I live on coffee and I'm not sure how well I can do this (which is why I didn't restrict myself numerically)  I like coffee with lots of creamer, and often on trips and in hotels, full-fat cream is all you have as an option. Making six cups of coffee a day really add up. I'm going to try and stick to only tea, which I enjoy black/as-is.  But, I might reach day-five of this trip and succumb.  We shall see....

4. Only eat dessert (or really any of the food) if it looks and subsequently tastes REALLY delicious!! so often I'll eat because I'm bored or tired or it's just placed in front of me, forgetting that I don't really like flourless chocolate cake or custard tarts.  This trip I will be more diligent about what I'm eating and stop if I don't care for it.

I am going to try and workout, but right now I'm so exhausted and I haven't event boarded a plane yet, I'm not sure how I can fit that in....though, my attitude may change with a solid night's sleep tonight. We'll see....access to internet might be spotty, but hopefully I'll manage to post a few times while I'm down there!  **Cross your fingers, for both gym-time and blog-time**

PS - Serendipitous that the "Real Housewives of Miami" premieres tonight?? :)

sweetgreen, inconsistentcy is not so sweet

The great thing about working in DC is the plethora of lunch options available, particularly healthy choices.  Within walking distance of my office are, off the top of my head, at least six custom-made salad places, four Subways (the sandwich shop, obviously, not the metro ) and four vegan restaurants.  My ex-favorite place to eat lunch was a custom-made local salad shop called "Sweetgreen."  It not only made delicious salads, but also has a eco-friendly corporate philosophy: They buy local and organic produce and have mostly biodegradable or recyclable materials.  So, not only could I get a delicious meal, but I also could feel like I was leaving a less heavy carbon-footprint behind.  It's very similar to "Chop't" but so far it's only in DC.  And, in my opinion, it might not be headed for much more. 

You see, about a year ago, I went to sweetgreen to order my standard salad, and found that for no obvious reason, they'd stopped carrying olives.  Just like that, olives (probably one of my top-ten favorite foods) was no longer an option for salad patrons who might crave some mid-day salty kalamata deliciousness!  I was distressed.  I was so distressed in fact that I wrote an email, something I rarely bother to do, to be honest.
Nevertheless, I still went to sweetgreen and ordered olive-less salads & salad wraps.  I found I really enjoyed their spinach-tortillas with which they'd make "salad wraps." (I love salad-wraps, because I feel like I'm having a hearty burrito instead of a light salad.)  Then, a few months later, they stopped the spinach tortillas. gasp! They still have regular tortillas, the same kind Chop't uses, but now nothing to differentiate from Chop't. (and, Chop't still has olives.)

Last fall, I tried something new at sweetgreen: their "crispy spicy kale," baked kale with sea salt and spice that adds the salty goodness my olive-less salads had been lacking.  Also, paired with their seasonal butternut squash, it was a great cold-weather salad. This past week, I went to sweetgreen, hoping to get a delicious kale-filled salad, only to find that now, the kale is only sold separately (as a side dish) for an extra $2.50. (ouch....$2.50 for greens? adding shrimp only costs $0.50 more than that!)  Also, you have to buy the entire container, which is a lot of salt and a lot of kale....too much for a salad.  I just want a bit thrown in my salad like the old days.  I was annoyed, because for the THIRD time now, Sweetgreen has taken something I loved away for no reason.

I know that when I go to Chop't and order the Palm Beach Shrimp Salad-Wrap, with olives, I get the same salad every single time.  Nothing different, nothing missing, always the same.  It got me thinking about restaurants in general.  Good food or bad food, consistency is the most important thing.   After all, there's a reason why millions and millions of people go to McDonald's every day.  It's not because their food is amazing, or the ambiance is fantastic.  It's certainly not a healthy or ecologically responsible choice.  No, people go to McDonald's because they know EXACTLY what they're going to get.  McDonald's Inc. practically invented the franchising of restaurants. It's a business that emphasizes consistency and predictability. Customers know precisely what they're going to get regardless of what particular McDonald's restaurant they visit.  The same is true for any successful restaurant, right?  Subway, Starbucks, Chop't...I know that when I go in, I can order exactly what I want and it will be the same regardless of whether I'm in DC or in Seattle or anywhere! I went to a Starbucks in Paris and it was the same menu as the one by my house. (And, they had sweet-&-low, try finding that anywhere else in Europe!)

So, as of right now, I'm fed up with sweetgreen.  They've disappointed a hungry salad-eater for the last time, at least for now, and there's two Chop't locations I can walk to at lunch...and Chop't so far has stayed tried and true for me, and all of my salady cravings.....