Blackberry Fields Foreverrrr

Morning is prime blog time for me. This is what I've noticed. I think it's because I just spent 8 hours (but more like 5, who am I kidding?) sleeping and feel the need to just work my brain a little. And although I am technically sitting at my office cubicle working, a little creative multi-tasking never killed anyone.

Since I woke up with this resilient mood, when I went to the corner deli this morning, I picked up some fruit instead of my desired bacon, egg and cheese on a roll with extra ketchup and salt and carbohydrates and lard and... wait... maybe it's not too late to go back and change my mind... The bacon... The cheese... These are a few of my favorite things (© Sound of Music, 1965).

Okay. Control yourself, Gab. Take the fruit and make a run for it.

I like colors in my meal. It's just aesthetic and makes me think: hey, this must taste good, right? Don't judge me. I scrolled through the fresh fruit and scooped up some blackberries, grapefruit slices, and orange slices. 

So what's the deal with these things? I wanted to find out so I can feel 100% satisfied with my "most important meal of the day."

Blackberries: 

• They are the fruit with the highest level of antioxidants.

• They contain anthocyanins, an antioxidant that apparently reduces inflammation and destroys free radicals in the body that can harm your body's cells and cause cancer.

• They contain ellagic acid, an antioxidant shown to protect the skin from damage from ultraviolet light. 

• Great source of Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and fiber.

Grapefruit:

• Grapefruit is high in enzymes that burn fats, has high water content and has less sodium which increases your body's metabolism (score).

• Grapefruit helps prevent arthritis because it contains salicylic acid that helps break down the body’s inorganic calcium, which builds up in the cartilage of joints.

• The antioxidants found in grapefruit are effective in reducing cholesterol levels.

• Eating grapefruit or drinking its juice helps treat common cold and fever, dissolve gallstones, boost liver function and enhance immunity against infections.

Oranges:

• Oranges have a high vitamin C content, and vitamin C is a chemical compound that assists in wound healing and works to help prevent infections.

• Amazing source of calcium, which is great for teeth and bone health.

• Oranges may also help your muscles work better since this fruit contains potassium.

• They contain magnesium, which is a mineral needed for healthy performance of the muscles, nerves and immune system.

So eat all the damn fruits you want! By the end of this blog entry I have eaten 'em all. They are gone. Finito. 

This guy knows what I'm talking about:

G

My letter of the day happens to be G. One of the main reasons being that my name, Gabby, begins with that letter and the mug I use and abuse daily with the amount of caffeine I drink has a neat little lowercase g on it.

It's the cutest for the office. Everyone has the generic, white company mug with the logo. Not me! You can snag one of these at Anthropologie (I was lucky enough to be given this as a Secret Santa present, yay). Find them online here for $8, a reasonable price to add some individuality to your office space, home space, what have you.

Added bonus. Here are some awesome, unusual words that begin with G:

Gad (v) - To wander about idly or in the pursuit of pleasure.
Galactophogist (n) - Someone who drinks milk.
Galeanthropy (n) - The belief that one is a cat. (What the...?)
Galimatias (n) - Nonsense.
Galliard (adj) - Brisk; lively. (Love this word!)
Gallimaufry (n) - A mixture of things; hodgepodge.
Gallomania (n) - A craze or obsession with France and/or the French. (Weird.)
Gallophobia (n) - Fear of France and/or the French. (I had to...)
Gilliver (n) - A wallflower.
Graphospasm (n) - A writer's cramp.
Gyngynotikolobomassophile (n) - One who nibbles on a woman's earlobes. (I can't make this stuff up.)

There were literally hundreds more. And I don't have all day to memorize the dictionary.

Keep it real, G's.

B R U N C H

Brunch in NYC is a pastime. It's a sport. It's a tradition. It's... f*cking wonderful.

There are only a few things as good as or better than a perfectly prepared, spicy, savory Bloody Mary.

Please enjoy this next preview of what I am currently indulging in. I am at Le Barricou in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Look at these adorable mason jars! They are so simple yet so chic to add to the cute, French- bistro ambience of this restaurant.

Onto the food. Not sure if you're ready for the deliciousness you're about to gaze upon... 

I had the Croque Madame, and for those of you unaware of what that is, it is a classic French ham and grilled cheese sandwich covered in gruyere cheese with an egg on top of it. Basically, it's all food groups you can enjoy during brunch in one plate. 

Yum...

Visit this place! Drink a Bloody Mary and enjoy!

Looking Closer

I work in the Flatiron District. I've been working there for approximately 3 months and I only recently discovered what a beautiful part of Manhattan it is.

Am I really too busy running from Jamba Juice on 5th to Park Ave to realize what's going on around me?

Wake the fuck up, Gabba.

All photos were taken by me. ;-*

Sweet Spots.

So, not much of a sweet tooth going on over here, BUT, when it happens... I have to go all out.

Now, I'm not an ice cream person. Cake is a yes. But my one true weakness is... are you ready... PIE. All-American, sweet, crumbly, flaky, warm, delicious PIE.

If you head on down to Pies 'N' Thighs on S 4th Street in Williamsburg, BK, you will be able to experience the feeling of lust that I have for their pie.

This picture does not do it justice, but my recent visit led me to discover their Sour Cherry with Pear Crumble. Enjoy. Eat. And repeat... repeatedly.

My sister thanked me (repeatedly) for finally bringing her.

Fresh

I recently created a ten-year plan for myself. A very basic one at that. Broad, yet reachable, and a little out of my comfort zone. Only because I have never planned this ahead into my future. And I have no idea what kind of turns my life will take in the next few weeks, let alone in the next ten years.

I guess I'm trying to be prepared. In November (2012) I dove into the hospitality industry at a restaurant company with my first "real person job" out of college. Since then, I have become more intrigued by this business. All aspects of it. The restaurants. The food. The service. The ambiance. Even the business side of it. The financing. The planning. The expenses. The competitiveness. The profits. The losses. It surrounds me each day and I am trying to absorb as much of it as I can, as I aspire to one day own my own business... Nobody wants to work for The Man for their whole life. And anyone who says they do is a liar.

With this extra guidance, I have started to write a blog. Maybe it's just for me. Maybe it's for you. Maybe it's for everyone... but right now, maybe it is just for me. I just want to drink everything in, literally and figuratively. Expand my knowledge. Experience every cuisine. Familiarize with every culture. Focus on my healthy choices and not so healthy choices. Enjoy myself. Live. Share. Eat. Drink. Work. Laugh. Repeat.