Rock Climbing

I went indoor rock climbing for the first time since May yesterday with my friend Jared!

It was so exhilarating and climbing/belaying came back to me just like riding a bike would.

I always meant to go over the summer at indoor rock climbing places like Rockville or Garden State Rocks, but never had the chance or someone to go with...

Anyway, for those of you that don't know, I started indoor rock climbing at the College Ave Gym at Rutgers Spring 2010. My two best friends, Jess and Christine, and I signed up for this $1 trail climb class offered by Rutgers Recreation and I've been loving it since then. Rock climbing is a great outlet for stress, allows you to push your physical boundaries, and is adventurous! Fall 2010-Spring 2011, my friend Christine and I would climb 2-3 times a week (2-3 hours at a time). We even went on a trip to try outdoor rock climbing. It was a lot of fun, but I personally prefer indoor rock climbing.

I would recommend rock climbing to people that are willing to challenge him/her-self, take responsibility in accomplishing something on their own, make friends, or have fun and try something different! It gives you this positive adrenaline rush and you can really see personal improvement in climbing after just a few weeks. Rock climbing is also a great way to get into shape and meet friends! I know I lost a few pounds doing it and have heard from other rock climbers how much weight they're lost and how much muscle they've gained. It's also a great sport to get other people into. People always seem to be interested in it when they find out I climb, and I've brought about 10 friends to the Rutgers Rock Wall to try it. If you want to join me, I plan to go Sundays 5-8pm this semester!

So, how do you get started?
Well, if you're a Rutgers student, you can climb for free at the Rutgers Rock Wall in the College Ave Gym. It's just $1 for show rental. The first time you go, a staff member will belay you for free. If you want to continue to go, it forces you to get belay certified and get a buddy that is belay certified. The belay class at Rutgers is only $15, or you can learn on your own or from another rock gym (you would just need to get tested by Rutgers). I personally took the class, but taught my friend Jared how to belay afterwards and he passed the test! The wall is open 8-11pm Mon-Fri and 5-8pm Sun.
If you're not a Rutgers student, then you can just google indoor rock walls in your area. The price range for climbing should be about $15-20/day, but there's always discounts for students, groups, kids, etc. so be on the lookout for those!

Hello October!

Can't believe it's October 1st already! September went by so fast... And I can only imagine the rest of the year going by even faster.

So, some mini updates/highlights on life:

It was my birthday on Sept 18th; the big "I'm now one year older than 21" and can truly appreciate the name of one of my favorite stores "Forever 21".

I ate at the ever lovely Cheesecake Factory and ordered:

Shrimp and Chicken Gumbo 

Shrimp, Chicken, Andouille Sausage, Tomatoes, Peppers, Onions and Garlic Simmered in a Spicy Cajun Style Broth with Cream. Topped with Steamed White Rice

It was a large portion (where you could take some home, add more rice, and make it another meal!)! the chicken and shrimp were fresh and tender and the broth had just the right amount of cajun spice. They also give you free bread and butter at Cheesecake as you wait for your food so if you really wanted to be cheap, you could fill up on bread and take even more of your meal home! Ahahahaha.

I was too full to order dessert, but from experience I would suggest their:

Ultimate Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake

Moist layers of Red Velvet Cake and our Original Cheesecake covered with our special Cheesecake Factory cream cheese frosting.

It's light, fluffy and creamy!

I would not suggest their White Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut Cake because the texture of the macadamia nuts cooked was just gross.

That was one of the last times I went out to eat dinner since I've been so busy but, I've been eating at lots of other places for fast and convenient food!

I intern and work right near this place Teriyaki Boy. It's Japanese fast food and the two locations I know are both in Princeton (Marketfair Mall and Princeton Forrestal Village). You can get a whole platter of food for $6.25 in less than 5 minutes! I usually get their chicken teriyaki and mix tempura (comes with a side of salad with ginger dressing too); but, a few days ago I was craving sushi and got one of the their special rolls. It was shrimp tempura topped with spicy salmon! OMG. It was delicious! It actually was listed on the menu with spicy tuna on top, but I asked for salmon and they were willing to accommodate.

Then after class I've been eating at the new and improved Livingston Dining Hall! I've had the honor to eat their three times already even though I don't even have a meal plan thanks to Dani, Alex, and Yohan. It's smaller than I thought, but the food and decor inside was amazing! They had sushi, fresh fruit (really sweet strawberries), made-to-order pasta and chinese food, burgers and hot dogs (at "the pub" with touch screens like Wawa to place your order), great soup choices, rotisserie chicken, pizza, and various daily buffet items set up like a Wegmans or Whole foods food court!

Of course I've been eating at P.F. Chang's China Bistro since I've been working there for almost 4 years now... But I will post a deserving blog on them separately one day when I have more time. Just a little info is that they cook 3 meals a day for their employees to eat for free and I have been taking full advantage of it!

And since I've been so busy, my boyfriend and I have been meeting up for breakfast early in the morning! I really like it! It forces me to wake up, be productive, and eat what is commonly known as the most important meal of the day. We ate at Panera Bread this past Friday and got the:
-Ham and Swiss Baked Egg Souffle
-Jalepeno and Cheddar Bagel Breakfast Sandwich (with ham, egg, and vermont white cheddar)
-Sausage, Egg and Cheese on a croissant
They were all good, but the Souffle was my favorite!
I also ordered their seasonal Pumpkin Spice Latte to try, which I did not like. I don't think my opinion weighs much though since I'm kind of a "only water" drinker, but it was so sweet and had too much spice and not enough pumpkin.

Okay, last one.

Last night, I went out with some of my new MHRM friends after out RUSHRM meeting. We went to this place Evelyn's off of Easton Ave. If was so nice! I couldn't believe the outdoor bar/patio they had behind the restaurant. It definitely was not a place you would think to find there. They had trees with lights, fancy umbrellas, and great lebanese cuisine! I ordered the humus with chicken kebab and baba ganoush.

And what's a blog without some pictures!

White Castle

Got through my second week of school this week and I'm really enjoying the MHRM program at Rutgers. It's a much different experience than my undergrad, although I loved loved loved my undergrad (and miss it immensely, especially RUPA and First Light!).

Anyway, last night, after three 3-hour classes, the gym, homework assignments, 2 granola bars, a Dunkin Donuts flatbread, a free chicken hotdog and turkey burger (complements of Livingston Campus), and my friend leaving her phone in a locked classroom where we had to call the Rutgers police to get it back, my friend and I were craving White Castle.

This was my fist time back at White Castle since Valentine's Day with some of my closest undergrad friends! White Castle has always been there for me, whether it be for a late night snack, a place my friends and I could satisfy our hunger for cheap, take a study break, experience valentine's day, or to pick up a crave case before a party. I personally like their original slider and jalepeno cheeseburgers! The prices at the location I go to did increase though (sliders now $0.70!), but totally worth it and still just as satisfying! There was just something about being back at White Castle with a friend. And, even at $0.70/slider, the meal still came out to be a lot cheaper and just as filling as other fast food places. What I love the most about sliders are the soft buns, chopped onions and pickle! So simple, yet so delicious! I don't have to worry about them being too dry since they're steamed, or any of the other unnecessary add-ons like mayo, lettuce, or tomato. And this may be a stretch but they're really not that bad for you (in moderation...). They're only 140 calories/slider. That's the same as a granola bar, 2 oreos, a can of soda, or a handful of trail mix.

In conclusion, I am definitely pro-White Castle. And reading the fun facts on the bottom of each white castle box is entertaining too. I hope you can have a positive White Castle experience as well. For more information about White Castle, visit: www.whitecastle.com

And there's always coupons! In the past, I've probably received 6 free sliders, just from coupons on my receipt when ordering and last night when I ordered they gave me a buy one get one coupon for their chicken and cheese sandwich! Right now they're having $5 off crave cases or if you're one of the first 90 people at a location, you'll receive a pin and free slider to celebrate their 90th birthday! Now there's no excuse to go out and satisfy your hunger at White Castle! And buy extra to store in your fridge because they're just as good, and sometimes even better the day after! Just microwave for a few seconds!

90th Birthday Coupon: http://www.whitecastle.com/promotions/90BirthdayPin/coupon

Sara Bareilles and Serendipity

On Wednesday, August 31st, I had the honor of seeing Sara Bareilles in Central Park, NY with my dad and sister. The concert was amazing! I love Sara Bareilles. She has a great sense of humor and an even greater voice. Her most popular songs are "Love Song", "Gravity", and most recently, "King of Anything", however, I personally enjoy a lot of her songs that are not so mainstream. If interested, my personal favorites are "Come Round Soon", "Any Way the Wind Blows", "Breathe Again", and "Bottle it Up". She is truly an artist and sounds spectacular both live and in her recordings.

http://www.sarabmusic.com/us/home

After the concert, my dad surprised my sister and I by taking us to the famous Serendipity 3, located at 225 East 60th Street, NYC. They are most famous for their "original, outrageously divine, frrrozen hot chocolate" so, that's exactly what we ordered, and outrageously divine it was! The portion size was generous and there was the perfect amount of chocolate, cream, chocolate shavings, and crushed ice. I would recommend going there at least once for the experience (especially after seeing the movie Serendipity), but not on a regular basis because it was quite pricey. One serving of their famous frozen hot chocolate is $8.95 and there is also a $8.50 minimum/person to dine inside their uniquely decorated establishment.

http://www.serendipity3.com/food.htm

Houlihan's

So, Houlihan's seems to be the restaurant of choice lately for my friends to hang out at after work. They have some great appetizers and drinks on their happy hour from 10pm-close.

The last time I went, I ordered calamari and tuna wontons for $6 each during happy hour (10pm-close). The calamari was unique because instead of the traditional marinara sauce, you could get a sesame, ginger, fiery chili sauce. The tuna wontons was also something you could not order anywhere else and they were great if you're a sucker for ahi tuna! Two of my friends got their Blue Whale drink which included a plastic whale you could take home and the drink was a mix of stoli peach, peach schnapps, blue curacao, sour mix and sprite. All featured drinks during happy hour are $1 off too!

I know my friends and I will definitely be going back to Houlihan's for appetizers and drinks and next time I will be prepared with a free appetizer coupon that you can get by signing up for their email club. As a member of their email club, you'll receive a free appetizer for signing up, a free dessert for your birthday, and other exclusive offers. Now, I know you're thinking about spam in your inbox, which is why I'd recommend you set up a separate email or use your secondary email address! =D

www.houlihans.com

Pho Sydney

Hey Everyone!

So I just got back from Atlantic City with my family and we always go to this Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Sydney, off the boardwalk! It's a great local place with prices much less than in the hotels for quality Vietnamese food.

I got a bubble thai iced tea and grilled pork, shrimp and spring rolls on vermicelli (thin and clear rice noodles)!

The pork was extremely tender and everything had a wonderful fresh grilled taste. Shredded lettuce and cucumbers sat on the bottom of the vermicelli to make the dish even more refreshing on a hot summer day! The entree also came with a sweet and sour fish sauce that you could add at your discretion and was garnished with cilantro and chopped peanuts. The meal left me feeling satisfied for under $10!

Pho Sydney is located at 2323 Atlantic Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401.

There was even a free parking lot for customers, which is difficult to come by in AC!

A little intro...

So, for those of you that know me, you know I like to eat. For those of you who don't, well now you know.

After a few conversations with some of my friends, I decided to start this blog on food to share any fun facts I discover, where I've eaten, and my personal opinions. Now, I'm no expert, but I know what tastes good to me and what doesn't. I'm always willing to try new/interesting things and love introducing and informing my friends about them too!

I'm also known for finding great deals and getting things for free, which I will post on here, along with other random happenings.