joys of the week, ep. 13
Has anyone else received an inane influx of spam calls lately? They come in phases, it seems. I’ll pass several days, even weeks, with maybe one or two the whole time, but now they’re swarming like paper wasps into my phone.
Probably the most random note I could’ve conjured for the start on my Sunday Joys, but hey, gotta get the gunk purged before we can move on.
Hey, notice anything different? I altered VE’s slogan. The story behind “Foul Mouthed Gourmet” is a simple one: my mom and sister insist that I should create a cooking show with the same lack of filter I oft display in real life. Granted, my filter isn’t completely transparent, I know when to stop myself, but I am not really a frilly writer and don’t think I should become one, either. I’m eloquent, but I swear a shitton. “In Motion” simply refers to my propensity to be constantly on the move, be it with my triathlon sports, or just my instinct that I need to be doing something all the time. It’s a mixed bag habit, sometimes healthy and other times not, but it’s true to my nature.
Running this week felt like mental relief more than anything. Even though I dropped my mileage to accommodate my higher cycling volume, each of the 4 runs I perform is at least an hour in length and serves to not only maintain my fitness in that discipline, but let my mind release some of the bothers that weigh it down. Running is my alone time, which is why I never do it with company or listen to music. The dark, silent early hours offer me a chance to escape any static everyday life flings into my ears.
I sometimes play out fictional scenarios in my head when I run, and at the time they might drive me to something like anger. The whole workout might pass before the monologue ends, but end it does, usually. My worries, my grievances become my steady companions, but once I stop moving, they turn another corner and continue on without my presence, so I can forget.
What is your stress-relief mechanism? Nowadays, it’s crucial to hold onto whatever brings you a bit of extra peace and comfort. I’d love to know! Aside from running and swimming, I’m the weirdo who LOVES sweeping the floors (mopping, though, is a huge nope for me), reorganizing, and reading to slay the demons.
My Running Favorites + Shoe Rotation
I wrote previously about my footwear preference in this post!
Nathan Hipster Belt (I wear a small)
Goodr “Flamingos on a Booze Cruise”
Pro Compression Marathon Socks in “Smile” (I wear a S/M)
Garmin Forerunner 235 (would like to upgrade but its good for those who pretty much just use it for running)
Adidas Adizero Boston 9 (I wear size 9, but this is being discontinued for a new model!)
New Balance Fresh Foam Tempo (I wear size 9)
New Balance Fresh Foam Beacon (I wear size 9)
Upcoming on VE
We roll into last week’s training on Monday and immediately dive into some vegetarian Indian fare Tuesday. Wednesday I fuse Irish and Mexican cuisines (whaaaaat?) and Thursday we bake up a delicious breakfast/dessert to transition into springy and summery flavors. Friday’s cocktail is tangy and sweet and slightly herbal, and Saturday I haven’t figured out what I want to do so I’ll keep you in the dark until I whip up something, or nothing. Sunday, we talk joy, as always.
Have you found me on Instagram? Venturing_East on Insta is an active profile and I LOVE speaking to all of you through the platform about everything training, fuel, and life as a whole. Come say hi!
Joys of the Week, Ep. 13
1. Salted Bourbon Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies
Bless these cookies. Or curse them. They’re a fiasco to my healthy eating tendencies – as are Honey Nut Cheerios – but man, I advocate balance and allowing yourself nice things and these quality as a nice thing. I shared the recipe Thursday and you really ought to bake up a batch this weekend. Just look at the chocolate…Here’s the recipe!
2. Threshold Whiskey and Oak Reed Diffuser
Usually we keep candles on my bookshelves to light and infuse the main room with nice scents, but I picked up this reed diffuser randomly during a Target run and I love it. It’s slightly musky yet fresh and natural, sort of smells like an upscale store. You can find it here!
3. Maker’s 46 Bourbon
This is my go-to bourbon for culinary adventures as well as for using in my cocktails, like this Balsamic Blueberry Basil Smash and the aforementioned cookies. It’s certainly drinkable neat or on the rocks, too, but I especially love its woodsy and sweet undertones when combined with other flavors.
4. Trader Joe’s Pretzel Bagels
I basically love anything pretzely (remember these Spinach Feta Stuffed Soft Pretzels?) and while these aren’t heavy on the big chunks of salt which characterize a nice floof pretzel, I certainly taste the appropriate flavor profile. I so far have just made basic bagel sandwiches with vegetarian turkey or egg, avocado, greens, and tomato, because I’m boring and haven’t quite thought up a creative way to exploit their excellence.
5. Avengers: Endgame
We rewatched Endgame on Wednesday and Thursday to see if we could catch any hints to Wandavision (we didn’t, really) though we did pick up some foreshadowing we didn’t see before. Superhero movies you have to take as they are, but at the same time they do offer some basic sense of hope in goodness existing even when you hear nothing about it. Certainly didn’t tear up at the end…
See you soon, all! Share with me one thing that brought you joy this week. Or multiple, the more the merrier!
