Life, Thoughts & Coffee

Paradou on Little West 12th Street is a relatively quiet nook in the madness of little west 12th. Gone are the days when Pastis is the only bistro in the area, now the streets are saturated with eateries. One place that never disappoints is Paradou. With a charming little backyard that is a calm alternative to many surrounding restaurants. It’s a perfect place to meet with friends for a bubbly beverage on a Sunday afternoon. (The food to follow the bubbly beverage is tasty as well).

It’s summer and everyone wants to be outside while they can get it. I have just discovered a great little outdoors-eating oasis that is not yet eaten up by the cheesy trendiods who have recently been stabbing the Meatpacking district to death. The new find in Manhattan is The WheelTapper Restaurant, which is attached to the Fitzpatrick Grand Central Hotel. First of all this hotel is run by those with Irish accents and so you get the vacation feeling the minute you step inside the restaurant (which is next door to the hotel but run by the same staff). It is located at 141 East 41st street. To get to the back you have to walk all the way through the restaurant. Once in the hidden outdoor eating area, there are unobstructed skies, nice tables with large wooden chairs, music drifting through the surrounding speakers and a flat screen television on one end where most casual seating is- perfect for a larger gathering.
Strongly recommended, good food and fast waiters, but note that food service stops at 11pm (drinking continues for hours).

I have been through most of the lowfat yogurts, some being: Horizon, Stoneyfield Farm, Silk (the soy variety which is low in fat, but more and more people are having trouble digesting soy products). It appears that Fage Total 0% is the best low fat yogurt on the market. Fage is the Greek yogurt that sometimes comes in the neat little packets with a section of honey or berry mix to swirl in yourself. The Total 0% is unbelievably creamy for a low fat yogurt and still very satisfying. In just one cup there is 20 grams of protein, can’t beat it!

I am allergic to dogs. But, I can understand some people’s affection for tiny paws resting on their laps. I don’t however, have the association with canines that so many do when thinking of Amy Hempel’s work.

Amy Hempel is an amazingly reliable storyteller. The magnetic attraction of her writing is increased by the fact that she does not underestimate the intelligence of her readers. Her narratives are pre-destined rides, and though the ride weaves and goes places the reader might not choose, there is safety as the narrator’s voice is so concrete, so appealing to ride with. Hilarious lines like “My cat Frank (not his real name)…” run with a glaze of sadness over each piece. Just impossible to put down. Impossible… must go read more.

Some people like to blame untoned abs on age. But seriously, there is no excuse for untoned abs except pregnancy. This is why pilates is a fabulous activity. There are classes in most cities across America as well as dvds galore.
My favorite pilates dvd is, “Pilates Precision- toning and sculpting with Jennifer Kries.” Kries has an undeniably similar speaking intonation as Sarah Jessica Parker. (Which is a parallel in the pilates universe since Parker has said in interviews that during, “Sex in the City,” she was an avid pilates follower). Kries goes through the pilates steps slowly so that you won’t damage/strain your neck and is likable to watch as the workout time passes quickly. Even doing this dvd just twice a week you should notice a difference (unless you are standing in line at Wendy’s five times a week- then your killer tight abs will be in there dying to get out from a layer of frosty’s and patties but they will still look like a muffin top to everyone else).

Sometimes yoga classes with their overly crowded questionably sanitary conditions can be off putting. This is when it is good to have a yoga dvd on hand that you can do in your home. I really like Crunch’s, “The Perfect Yoga Workout,” the teacher is sweet and easy to listen to. The dvd is neither too fast nor slow and it really stretches out your spine. Random side note: I recently read that a lot of people sit too far back- that humans should sit with their bottom directly below them not curved under. This allows energy to flow more strongly and also protects your spine from unhealthy curvature.

I wanted to explain why I did not mention agave in my statement about sugar being the devil. This is because I think it is an overly-marketed sweetener which slightly raises your blood sugar levels just not as much as sugar. I think the stevia brand I mentioned is much better in flavor and body receptivity to those sensitive to sugars. So I will continue to shun agave like the overly-needy party guest who demands too much attention. But, by all means, if you like it go forth we each must find our none fat/crazy maker sugar substitute. I hope no one is still thinking that Splenda is a good idea, it is made from chlorine people! Chlorine dries out your eyes and makes your bathing suit smell- do you think it belongs in your coffee?

Sugar is the most widely accepted dangerous drug of all time. It makes children turn into angry little pixies running amuck (ok and me too), it causes diabetes, hypoglycemia, inflamation, acne, and many other conditions. (Great book to read- anything by Nicholas Perricone). Yet like an abusive lover it is hard to turn away, it has beaten us down from an early age and when the ice cream truck sings down the street, or someone gives you a box of chocolates, an uncontrollable illness almost makes it impossible to not inhale them at once.

To fight this innate obsession people can turn to stevia. There are a few different brands of this plant sweetener, which is very popular in South America where it grows. My favorite company is Stevita Co. Their products taste the most like sugar, (some brands have a licorice hint which is hard to ignore). This brand is sold in stores but they sell it online for much cheaper. They sell the sweetener in packet form, in shakers, with chocolate and other flavoring and you can feel good about putting something in your refreshments that is good for you not poisonous chemicals.

Check it out www.stevitastevia.com . Just don’t buy it all! I will turn into a very naughty pixie if I can’t keep getting my fresh supply…

Did you know that Americans are now entitled to a free credit report once per year from the 3 major credit bureaus? It’s a good idea to check your files to make sure there is nothing in there that doesn’t belong. With fraud and banks/creditors not following through and keeping your payment and account information current, it is your responsibility to watch your own back and keep your credit file up-to-date.

Make a cup of tea or coffee and follow the link below. There is absolutely no cost for the peace of mind of knowing that your credit report is on track and correct.

How do I know this link really works? I just pulled my credit files 10 minutes ago. What are you waiting for?

Annual Credit Report