Campus Tour

I had a few things to do on NYU's campus this morning (I use the term "campus" loosely, since NYU doesn't really have one), so I took my time walking there and taking in the gorgeous day. It's hard to believe I'm almost done here!

One of my errands was in the Washington Mews, my all-time favorite street in this city. It reminds me of a European village!

The little houses used to be stables, but they're now owned by the university and serve mostly as foreign language houses. There goes my dream of one day owning one...

I also stopped by the library for maybe the fifth time in my entire collegiate career. It's huge, dark and eerily quiet, and several students have committed suicide there by jumping from the upper balconies into the marble atrium. As a result, it seriously creeps me out and I only go in there if absolutely necessary!

Since the food situation in my apartment is still pretty pathetic, my last stop on the way home was to pick up tofu pitas for lunch!

I had two spicy "Hawaiian" flavored ones, and while they were good, they're definitely one of my least favorite flavors. Noted.

With my pitas, I had the usual diced pineapple,

As well as a few unpictured spoonfuls of Maranatha almond butter. I seriously need to go grocery shopping- a girl cannot subsist on almond butter and deli food alone.

I've dressed for the super-warm weather in one of my favorite dresses. A stranger told me I looked "ladylike" this morning, and it's exactly how it makes me feel!

   - Dress: Anthropologie, on sale two years ago
   - Black sandals: Sam Edelman from DSW (with pretty coral toes from yesterday's pedi!)
   - Silver charm necklace: gift

Class time. See you for dinner!

Is there anywhere that creeps you out or gives you a "vibe" for no real reason? Conversely, which places do you associate with good feelings?

Here and There

Good morning, friends!

It's weird- when I'm home, there are things I miss about the city, and when I'm in the city, there are things I miss about home. I love the atmosphere of both, though they couldn't be more different.

One of the things I miss about the city when I'm away? My gym! This morning, I woke up (well, actually my smoke detector gave me a heart attack when it beeped loudly to tell me the battery was low), ate a Clif Z-Bar and headed to the gym for spin class. Today, the instructor focused on sprints, which is always more challenging than it seems. It's tough to go fast and stay in control of your legs! I was a sweaty mess by the time class was done, and headed home to whip up some breakfast.

My fridge is shamefully empty (a block of tofu, a few lemons and a massive jar of salsa are the most nourishing things in there), so I dug into the freezer for some Van's organic flax waffles and frozen raspberries.

First, I made some peanut paste with 1/4 c peanut flour, maple syrup and a splash of water, then I prepared some "jelly" by microwaving a handful of frozen raspberries for 45 seconds on high. I spread two defrosted waffles with half of each, and dug in!

One of the things I always miss about home? Plenty of natural light and beautiful outdoor photography backgrounds!

By the way, like my strawberry plate? I've been waiting since January to break this guy out!

Today is looking hot and sunny in the Big Apple. YAY. Too bad I'll be in classes all afternoon! Hope you have a wonderful day!

Which do you consider "home"- the place where you grew up, or the place you live now?

Under the Influence

Getting ready to head back to school for the final stretch! As usual, it's been great to come home and recharge my batteries before the slew of exams and papers starts this week.

For dinner, I baked myself a block of tofu and some asparagus to eat alongside some of the other night's leftover pasta.

To prep the 'fu, I simply pressed it between two plates for about an hour before slicing it thinly. I put it on a baking sheet with the asparagus, then drizzled everything with olive oil and some sea salt & pepper before baking it at 400*F for 25 minutes.

And topped with salsa for a kick! Afterwards, I had a sliced apple and a serving of Lindt mint dark chocolate. I'm so happy that dark chocolate is back in my life- it really is my all-time favorite dessert!

* * * 

This afternoon, I settled into a comfy chair and caught up on my parents' issues of Nutrition Action. It's a small monthly newsletter that we've been receiving for years, and although a lot of the information is pretty standard, there are always a few gems. For instance, this month's feature article discussed the influence of external cues on our eating habits.

I'm a nerd about this kind of stuff, but I found the article fascinating. Basically, it said that we're all subconsciously affected by other factors when we eat, no matter how "mindful" we believe ourselves to be. Studies have shown that dozens of factors affect what and how much we eat, even when the subjects have been well informed about the study's purpose and hypothesis beforehand. Fascinating, right?

The most interesting point to me was about how women unintentionally mimic other womens' eating habits, but not mens'. It can be subtle- for instance, you might eat just a few bites more or less depending on your dining companion's behavior, and you don't necessarily eat the same amount- but people unanimously eat differently with others than alone. I must say that I can definitely see some truth to this; when I'm eating with friends we either both eat relatively healthfully, or we both go all out and enjoy drinks, plentiful bread and dessert. I'm not saying that this is a positive or negative thing, because I think it's more a social behavior than a dietary one, but I still think it's really interesting to consider the way our brains work without us realizing it!

Time to catch my train. See you in New York!

Do you eat differently in social situations than alone? What other factors have you noticed affecting your eating habits?