Tuesday, October 27, 2015

PHOENICIA SPECIALTY FOODS DOWNTOWN HOUSTON

I have been coming to the October Houston QuiltMarket for about 7 seven consecutive years. Only yesterday, did I 'discover' a beautiful grocery store about two blocks from the convention center where the show takes place. (OK, technically, my brother Andy, discovered it) This store opened for business in November 2011. We walked over to pick up a lunch on the third and final day of the show. I barely had the time to look around, but this particular grocery store seemed to have everything. I quickly discovered that the salad bar included shrimp. That was all I needed to know. I prepared a spinach salad for myself that was heavy on shrimp. Next year, I believe that I will be having lunch at the Phoenicia Specialty Foods Downtown in Houston each day of the tradeshow.

This salad was simply delicious and clearly healthy as spinach and shrimp are not high in calories.

Your Food Diary For:

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Quaker Oats - Instant Oatmeal Apples & Cinnamon, 2 Bowl (43g)	320	66	4	8	400	24
Kellogg's - Special K Protein Cereal, 96 g	360	57	3	30	570	21
	680	123	7	38	970	45
L U N C H
Kind Plus - Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate +Protein, 1 bar	200	17	13	7	40	9
Homemade - Spinach & Shrimp Salad, 3 cup	483	0	24	0	0	0
	683	17	37	7	40	9
D I N N E R
Cheesecake Factory - Fish Taco, 2 Taco	600	60	4	0	1,000	0
Vitamix - Avocado Tortilla Soup, 2 cup	330	44	14	12	944	8
	930	104	18	12	1,944	8
S N A C K S
Dewar's - 12 Years Old Double Aged Blended Scotch Whisky, 4.5 oz	312	0	0	0	0	0
	312	0	0	0	0	0

Totals	2,605	244	62	57	2,954	62
Your Daily Goal	4,457	557	148	223	2,300	167
Remaining	1,852	313	86	166	-654	105
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 2,527 extra calories from exercise today

Your Exercise Diary for:

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Add Exercise Quick Tools

Daily Total / Goal	0 / 30	0 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	128 / 210	2,527 / 4,130

TOTAL CALORIES CONSUMED 2605 CALORIES

TOTAL CALORIES BURNED 2045

TOTAL NET CALORIES 550 CALORIES

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fitbit day 54

37456 steps

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My final day in Houston was another day to explore the downtown area on foot. This time I ventured to the University of Houston Downtown before returning to my 'neighborhood.' It was so nice to be walking outside again after two days of SOLID RAIN. I am sure that my legs and feet enjoyed the two days off that I gave myself - although as days off - they may not have been so relaxing as I was standing around in a booth at a tradeshow for hours each day.

Monday, March 30, 2015

SWEET HOME CHICAGO

My daughter, Sara, 13 years old completed her "History Fair Project" and submitted it more than a week ago. The theme of the paper was 'leadership.' Her paper is titled: Sweet Home Chicago: "The Candy Capital of the World". Sara (with some expert guidance from her Mom) worked on this for more than three months. This project involved trips to the library, actually reading the books that were relevant, and an interview with Therese McDonald, the owner of Candyality, a local upscale candy boutique here in Chicago. Her quote served as the last line of Sara's paper, "...candy is in Chicago's DNA..."

Sweet Home Chicago: The History of America's Candy Capital," was a look at the history of Chicago's candy industry. The exhibit was on display at Harold Washington Library during 2013.

I just read the completed paper for the first time yesterday. Honestly, I was amazed how well thought-out it was and how easily it 'flowed'. The history fair project is a country-wide competition for 7th graders. Sara's paper was the only paper nominated from her school to advance to the city-wide competition. This was announced on Thursday over the loudspeaker at school. Now that I have read the paper, I must admit - I can easily see it advancing. After the city-wide competition comes the state-wide competition in Springfield, Illinois. Who knows how far this might advance? It does not matter, I am immensely proud of my daughter for this accomplishment.

I have just read a paper exclusively about candy with an emphasis on chocolate. The 10 page paper focuses on the leadership shown by Chicago in the innovations in manufacturing and distribution of candy during the last 100 years. My accomplishment regarding this is straightforward. After reading this - I managed to somehow continue to keep the willpower to not have any candy or chocolate! I have lost 75 lbs in the past 96 days by avoiding all sweets. So, for the time being, I will savor the sweetness of Sara's accomplishment. This particular sweetness is very healthy and very low calorie!

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SUNDAY MENU

breakfast three eggs sunnyside up, two slices turkey 'bacon' 240 calories

lunch lamb bratwurst, spinach salad w/tomato 340 calories

dinner lamb bratwurst, spinach salad w/tomato, Thai Sweet Potato Soup 505 calories

total calories consumed 1085 calories

CALORIES BURNED

elliptical machine 32 minutes (first time 'resistance level' was set to '14') 506 calories

SUNDAY NET CALORIES 579 calories

This store looks like they have lots of tasty treats... It will be a few more months before I want to sample any.
I have not given up candy and chocolate for the rest of my life - but I will learn 'portion control.'