REDRUM.
Please tell me you get the reference…
This is the hotel I’m staying at in NYC:
I have no cleaver intro other than to inform you that it’s taking a lot of self-control not to run down the hall yelling “Heeeeeere’s Johnny!”
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Since I am traveling this week for the second week in a row, I am sharing a few Blend meals with you rather than the random assortment of schwag bag goodies (thank you BLEND sponsors!!!) and conference food I actually ate this week.
Check out Jenn’s blog for everyone else’s more reasonable delicious creations!
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Heather and I arrived in Utah pretty late on Thursday and went directly to dinner. We did not pass go.
She took me to a plane she’d dined on a recent trip called Silver. It was incredibly good – by far the best meal of the weekend! I started with the Bartender’s Roulette, a drink where you simply tell the bartender what your booze preference is and he makes something up. This was their take on a Manhattan. It involved something cinnamon-y, which made me far too happy.
We started with a couple of apps: a venison carpaccio with housemade granola, parmesan, and micro-greens, followed by the baby octopus with pimenton spices, potatoes, lardo, and fennel. I used my newly found low alcohol/sweet + savory drink trick and ordered the Riesling to accompany the rest of the meal. It was fantastic with the spicy octopus and our main dish, a bone-in pork chop cooked sous vide and then seared. It was served with a kraut with lardon and apples over a schmear of beer jam. Thank god we split a main – the pork was huge, but so incredible it would have been a sin not to finish it.
The next morning I was glad we’d had such a hearty meal because by the time we finished the workout I was famished and ready for breakfast. We did a plyo-style workout courtesy of the Onnit crew, followed by ab work and the afore mentioned planking contest.
Eggs, chicken sausage, tofu scramble, and – the best part – a Quest Chocolate Fudge Cookie Cup. Holy mother of yum. I absconded with an extra for a post-hike snack. #sorryimnotsorry
After breakfast we were off for a hike! It was really neat to be able to take a ski lift up the mountain to our starting point. I’ve never been on a gondola without snow before! The ride was stunning, second only to the incredible views during the hike.
After the hike and a much-needed shower (and post-Quest cupcake seconds), we had another snack time.* I ate all the foods. Kidz Shake had a able of chocolate-banana protein smoothies and amazing date balls that tasted exactly like cookie dough (not kidding – I’m picky about my dough!). There was chocolate from Lily’s Sweets (I’m on a mad hunt for those sugar-free chocolate chips now). Silk brought their “A” game with incredible Cherry-Almond Butter smoothies, and Arctic Zero sampled their new flavors and ice cream bars. You guys HAVE to try the orange – I almost never choose a fruit-flavored dessert but it was fantastic; it tasted like those Flintstone push-ups you eat s a kid! I was in frozen snack heaven.
*Note: If you come to Blend, you will NEVER be hungry.
The food doesn’t end there. We had some down time before our cocktail hour and dinner… which was just enough time to work up an appetite. I didn’t take a TON of pics, but I did manage to get a shot of the best part of the evening meal.
The deliciousness in the middle of the table was a soy-glazed salmon from Sizzlefish. You all know my love to Sizzlefish… I finally got to meet Rob, the founder, which felt like I was meeting a celebrity of sorts because I’ve loved their product for so long!
Speaking of celebrities…
I had a re-enactment of my favorite rockstar picture from last year’s retreat with two of my favorite Blends: Heather and Lindsay.
The next day there was more food, more workouts… and then another dinner out!
We met up with a bunch of blends for a dinner out at Purple Sage. The food was good, but I must say that the company and the wine was the highlight at this dinner: a bottle of Orion Swift’s Abstract with a side of Melissa and Madelyn! (But the duck and the bread pudding did not suck!)
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I love traveling… but OMG I’m ready to be home.
Where would you take your Blends out to eat in your town?
Any restaurant recs in NYC?!
Angela @ Happy Fit Mama says
Such a creepy hotel! But looks like a lovely time at blend.
Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli says
“Note: If you come to Blend, you will NEVER be hungry.” <- Bahaha! Ain't that the truth!
Seriously, what is it with old creepy hotels? That one I stayed in when I visited last January was like that! Hope you're not being chased around by any psychopathic killers this week…I mean, red's just not a good color on you! 😉
Love all the collages…but most of all the reenactment photo! That's my shoulder in the top pic! Lol
Laura says
Maybe I should make my tag line “If you come visit ME, you will never be hungry.” 😉
Arman @ thebigmansworld says
Loving all the blend recaps- I actually have a restaurant here in Sydney I would legit reserve to take you- It takes the strange but good to an entire new level.
Laura says
I expect reservations when I come.
Linz @ Itz Linz says
yum!!! there’s several local stl places i’d take my blends!
Carla says
WE ARE SUPPOSE TO TAKE EM OUT? 🙂
Id bring em to my house and paint their nails and braid their hairs 😉
Laura says
Ewwwww… can we at least paint it BLACK? 😉
Dietitian Jess says
I would definitely take them to a Jose Garces restaurant (best chef in the city) and maybe for a blind cheesesteak taste test because thats really fun. NYC rec- any Tom Colicchio restaurant (love him!!!). Definitely try to stay far away from Times Square and the super toursity areas.
Laura says
Wasn’t he on Iron Chef?
Sam @ Better With Sprinkles says
haha YES to the never going hungry thing! We were well fed, that’s for sure.
Heather (Where's the Beach) says
Let us know if you see any twin girls in the hallway in the middle of the night!
Jen @ Chase the Red Grape says
Wow the pork dish, sizzle fish and that duck! Hungry now!
If blend was in Glasgow Scotland, I would take you all to VIva Brazil, an amazing Brazilian BBQ restaurant – so much delicious amazing meat! Hmm, don’t know what the veggies would do though??? 🙂
Laura says
I’m always game for that! Lucie took me for Argententian BBQ in Switzerland. It was wonderful! I’ve been to Ireland… maybe Scotland next! 😉
Jen @Chase the Red Grape says
You should! It’s such a beautiful place! 🙂
Kelly @ Cupcake Kelly's says
I love Craft and Casa Mono in NYC. Not inexpensive but phenomenal!
Laura says
We had a Craft in ATL, but it didn’t last. Maybe I should have seen if it was better in NYC!
Christa @ Edible Balance says
Oh my goodness, such delicious looking eats!! There is definitely no shortage of food at Blend… even for those that were on a food elimination during one 😉 There are so many incredible new restaurants in Calgary, more Blends should come visit!! Hint, hint…
Laura says
We were talking at Blend about having a Canada meet up. I would totally come!
Erin @ Girl Gone Veggie says
I cannot wait for Blend next year! I am making myself go!
Laura says
Ummm… YES!
lindsay says
i am freaked out by that hotel. You should have just come home with me. Ahh i’m trying purple sage next time. oh wait, we’re not going back. DOH!
Laura says
We can still go back! You need to try Silver though. It was the best. We should start planning where to eat in Boulder now. LOL!
Abby @ BackAtSquareZero says
Sounds like so much fun. I dream of going to Blend one day.
Tara @ Sweat like a Pig says
What are these Quest fudge cups and how do I get my hands on them!?
Laura says
The recipe is linked above! All of their recipes are so good. They even post short videos on Instagram!
Amanda @ Diary of a Semi-Health Nut says
Be safe! That hotel looks straight up creepy.
Also I love that you recreated that photo with you, Lindsay and Heather!
PS Do you know if anyone has either of the group shots from Saturday night??
Laura says
LOL! It was safe, just old. I mean… “classic.” 😉
Heather posted some good ones yesterday!
Melissa @ Treats With a Twist says
OMG best food ever, right?? I am still dying over that meal at Purple Sage. PS that is an adorable picture (can I say that about myself?) from dinner! Text it to me!!!
And that sizzlefish salmon was so killer! Best food of the retreat. Besides breakfasts of course. Love breakfast!
Laura says
Soooo… I’m a serial deleter and after I loaded the collage to flickr I deleted it…. I fail. 🙁
meredith @ The Cookie ChRUNicles says
Blend looked so awesome from all of the recaps! I wouldn’t even know where to begin on restaurant recommendations in Manhattan! Ugh so many. Here are a few – Maoz (my favorite vegetarian pit stop), Rosa Mexicano (ate there last night!), Koi, Alta, The Smith, Blue Water Grill, Primehouse, Serendipity (because you just have to)…should I keep going?
Laura says
Haha – we have Rose Mexicano here! I try to hit the dives though. The sketchier the look, the better the food. 😉
Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries says
Wasn’t the Sizzlefish salmon to DIE for?! I wanted to eat it all.
I love the reenactment photo of you, Heather, and LC. You gals are the cutest!
purelytwins says
girl lock your hotel doors!!! haha
so sad we missed blend this year!
Laura says
We talked about how we missed you two!
GiGi Eats Celebrities says
OH SNAP! IF YOU came to visit me in Los Angeles… YOU ARE COMING TO Spitz & ECHI!!!!! You have NOOOOOOOO WAY of getting out of going to these two places, just sayin’! I GET EVERYONE HOOKED! Seriously. Spitz. OMFG I die. I would give up sex completely for it! AHHH HA HA AH AH HA!
Laura says
That’s a bold statement! I’m game.
Lucie@FitSwissChick says
I LOVE the rockstar pic so much – you girls are GORGEOUS!!
Bareburger in NYC!! So good! Maybe they even serve alcohol by now…..:-)
Laura says
Next year you can photo bomb it!!
Shashi @ RunninSrilankan says
From All the recaps I have been reading – Blend sponsors really hooked yall up! what an amazing array of food and swag!!!
I am not a huge fan of eating out – so I am thinking you have a better idea of where to eat in Atlanta – but there is this bakery in Brooklyn that I used to love called Fabiane’s that makes the best pistachio cake and iced coffee I have had!
Laura says
Pistachio cake sound delish! We only made it to Brooklyn once… for pizza… which was amazing, but no Antico! 😉
Heather @ Better With Veggies says
So much good food!!! This is making me hungry again. 🙂
Hayley (Oat Couture) says
Oh my god the foooooood!!! Looks like you guys had a blast! If Blend happened in London?! We would need at least a fortnight to eat our way through the City! Ha! I would take you all to Gordons for a bit of history and the killer wine list (along with one of the best cheese boards EVER!). We would hit up Maltby St Market for gin ‘breakfast’ cocktails and ahhmazing food! With a little stop at Borough market on the way back, to stock up on various goodies! We could hit up Caravan for brunch (they do the best pancakes and baked eggs!) and Barbecoa for dinner and I suppose we could do a little run along Regent’s Canal to burn it all off… 😉
Laura says
EVERYONE is calling for a Europe Blend. I’d definitely go! Either way, I’m going to have to hit London one day soon and go to all these places with you. Just don’t make me swim! 😉
Hannah says
Aaaaaah that platter of gorgeous salmon! Want.
Oh and the urge shouldn’t’ve been to run down the hallway, it should’ve been to smash open strangers’ hotel room doors with an axe. Just sayin’.