For the second time this week, I headed out of the house to Starbucks to get some work done.
I know it may sound a little kooky, but the hustle and bustle of Starbucks actually helps me focus and get work done. Sometimes working at home is a little too quiet and having a needy dog always looking to me to give her attention can make it hard to concentrate.
They don’t call vizslas “velcro dogs” for nothin’.
After an early lunch today, I headed to Starbucks to spend a few hours in the zone. Ryan met up with me around 1:30 p.m. for a quick break since I was close to his work and he usually just eats lunch at his desk.
We both ordered grande Frappuccinos (chai crème for him and peppermint mocha for me) which left me chilled to the bone.
Next time, when it’s cold outside, I’ll be sure to swap my Frappuccino for a latte. My teeth were literally chattering as I sipped my drink!
Gosh, I am such a baby. My Illinois friends would be ashamed.
I arrived home from Starbucks just after 5 p.m. and in the mood to bake.
Lately it seems like my sweet tooth is in overdrive. I can’t seem to get enough cookies, chocolate and peppermint bark.
‘Tis the season, I suppose.
I baked up a batch of oatmeal cookies that I made by following a recipe from Martha Stewart for her carrot cake cookies. (I omitted the carrot because I was too lazy to grate it and didn’t chill the dough for an hour – again, too lazy – and they still turned out fantastic.)
Dinner
Fueled by a few cookies, once Ryan got home from work, we made salmon and roasted green beans for dinner. Supah simple!
We topped the salmon with a creamy sauce that I made by combining:
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
- 3/4 tablespoon Italian seasoning
The fish fueled a chilly evening walk with Sadie.
And now it’s time to get warm on the couch and watch last night’s episode of Modern Family on the DVR!
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eh i dont blame you for going to sbucks. i work pretty much alone 4 days a week and it drives me bonkers. i will actually be putting in my notice in a few weeks here since i just can’t stand the quiet anymore. sometimes its nice, all the time it is not!
hahah. before I realized ryan was there too I was going to ask if you asked a rando starbucks-goer to take your photo.
us bloggers gotta do what us bloggers gotta do.
ha! noooo way. i draw the line at using the self timer.
ohh! haha I was questioning that at first too. 😀 I actually LOVE working at cafes! lol…I’m actually at a Starbucks right now! Something about not being to GO anywhere out of my “desk” helps me to focus better.
Omg, I was thinking the same thing. I was thinking “Julie must have put her camera on timer on the display shelf”, lol! The worst part was that I thought that would be an acceptable behavior of a blogger. Why not right? It’s just part of documenting your day.
Hey there! I have been following you on twitter for awhile but for some reason have never read your blog!
I can understand from taking online classes that working from home can be…distracting! And you are crazy for ordering a frozen drink when it’s cold out! I’m a total wimp in the cold too. 😉
I have never tried to make carrot cookies…but I know from making carrot cake that it takes FOREVER to grate carrots so don’t feel bad for nixing them. 😉
Thats so funny! The temp dropped here in VA today, and after a cold drink (after a bike ride outside) I was so cold and shaking for an hour! Its only my first winter away from NY (born and raised in the northeast) and I’m already ashamed of myself!
I totally appreciate the going out to get work done. I am the exact same way!!
Do you buy your salmon in bulk frozen? It always looks so fresh!
i usually buy fresh salmon when it’s on sale. 🙂
Wow, what a tasty and oh so easy sauce to top your salmon with. I’m sure it tastes as awesome as it sounds. I’m with you on the busy-ness of the Starbucks helping you to get more work done. I’m the same way. I get way too distracted in my own thoughts and daydreams when it’s too quiet. Of course sitting across a hottie like Ryan would instantly cause the workload to come to a halt 🙂
I LOVE greek yogurt on top of salmon. I usually mix it with dill but stone ground mustard sounds REALLY good. I love spice-ayy mustards!
Also, I get work done anywhere BUT my apartment. I will do anything to procrastinate while I’m here… Things include: Blogs, television, BAKING, cleaning, organizing things (or pretending to)…lol
I (an illinois friend) am disgusted by your “coldness”.
It’s 20 right now.
You’re so luuucky!!!
i’ve become a florida pansy.
I am totally the same way—I work at home, and I honestly can’t stand it. It’s just so quiet, and I’m always distracted by dishes, or laundry, or something, haha. Plus I miss getting dressed in cute clothes and just chatting with other people!
I love your middle of the day lunch date with Ryan! So cute!
You can buy Andes Mint Peppermint Chips. I found them the other day and CAN’T WAIT to make brownies, cupcakes, cookies with them.
The Kidless Kronicles
ooooh yum.
I’m the same way–something about the hustle and bustle of a coffee shop provides the perfect white noise for getting work done.
And I sympathize with your coldness…I’m always cold even when it’s actually quite warm out. I go to school in Vermont and many of the “natives” are outside in t-shirts as soon as it hits 50 while I’m still wearing my down coat and scarf!
the frappes literally killlll me in the cold weather, especially the iced coffees, but I seriously love the taste way better. you two are such professional looking muffins. just muffins.
Yep I couldn’t work from home…or have my own business…I’m not self motivated at all. I’m a full time medical laboratory technologist and work shift work (that includes the night shift Christmas and Boxing Day this year, but at double time plus shift diff I’m happy to do it!), but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m happy to be guaranteed a paycheck every two weeks like clockwork that someone pays me. I wouldn’t survive otherwise ha.
…is your sweater from banana? if so i’m wearing the EXACT same one in green right now. TWINS.
i actually think it’s from charlotte russe! 🙂
follow up: it’s from forever 21.
i love that picture of sadie!
i loved studying/doing work at starbucks. there’s just something about the atmosphere.
I’m so jealous that your starbucks has big comfy chairs! It’s funny some starbucks (like mine) are pretty much just a ‘walk in and get your coffe and leave’ kind of place, and others are so welcoming with giant fireplaces and big purple couches.
I love how easy you always make salmon look. What a great idea to make a creamy sauce for the top. I’ve probably asked you before, but do you use pre-frozen salmon or fresh?
Have a wonderful evening, and stay warm! 🙂
fresh salmon – i buy it when it’s on sale. 🙂
I love salmon so much, but lately i’ve been in the mood for soup 24/7
I was about to say, “who took your pic at Starbucks”..but then I say Ryan was there!
I’ve had a killer sweet tooth too! And it IS this time of year…once you eat sugar your body craves sugar! I will fight this cycle all the way until January!
This is similar to how I just pounded Ben & Jerrys while it’s 35* out & now I’m wondering why I can’t get warm… hm…
it’s never too cold for ice cream. 🙂
I have no sympathy for your teeth chattering, Florida girl. 😉 It’s 32 degrees here today and supposed to snow tonight. Yuck!!
I can always get so much more done at Starbucks than I can in my office. Weird but maybe it’s the smell of the coffee that calms me down.
I made your roasted green beans tonight for dinner too! I like them, and the kids eat them with katsup, but I’m still having a hard time getting hubby to like them lol!
hopefully he’ll come around eventually! 😀
Yeah he’s come A LONG way since I met him 11 years ago, I have too!
My sweet tooth has been acting up like crazy too. I can’t get enough sweets. And anything peppermint will do. I seriously need to calm down on the baking. Or give some of it away… but it never lasts long enough for that haha.
It warmed up way too quickly today. But I also cozied up with some Starbucks!
Salmon looks great! I want to try that greek yogurt topping! SOunds delish 🙂
I LOVE doing work in Starbucks – that’s where I used to always go to write my long English major papers back in college and grad school. Your Sbucks looks extra cozy though- love the chairs!
the oatmeal cookies reminded me – i found your fav ben & jerry’s oatmeal cookie chunk ice cream in my new town of Richmond, VA! it was in our local Kroger and i felt the need to purchase it in your honor
JEALOUSSSS.
I agree with you! I love going to Starbucks or a coffee shop to get studying or work done. I find the hustle and bustle to be comforting. I get too distracted in a quiet house (and check Facebook/Twitter way too often)! Plus, coffee is involved! 🙂
Gah–right there with ya about all the sweet stuff. lol. My sweet tooth has been out of control lately!
I’m the same way with starbucks – the craziness of it makes me focus better!
I recently found your blog & am really enjoying it. I just wanted you to know that I think your little Sadie is so adorable! I have 3 dogs and can’t live without them, dogs are add so much to life!
totally agree! they’re truly members of the family!
what do you do when you’re working at starbucks/a coffee shop and you have to pee?? leave your laptop/phone/valuables out or pack it all up and take it with you to the bathroom?? i’m always unsure and i just hold it in haha
ha!! i usually ask someone nearby to watch my computer for me, but i take my purse to the bathroom with me. apparently i trust strangers. 🙂
Ha in CA it’s pretty darn cold too!
OH and last night’s Modern Family was hilarious! 😀
I LOVED it!
Try the Skinny Peppermint Mocha next time, I’ve been addicted to them since it got chilly out!
I totally feel you on needing some hustle and bustle to keep you focused. I’m the same way and am a lot more productive at coffee shops than my quite apartment!
I have a Dalmatian and they are called velcro dogs too, Annie can’t STAND it if she isn’t hip to hip with me or watching me if I am up and about. Sadie looks cute in her pink sweater. She knows it too, you can tell by that expression!
I could definitely get more work done OUT of the house, too. While I’m at my house, it’s way too easy to get side-tracked.
The cookies look delicious; I love anything with oatmeal…
I hate cold Illinois winters! I always say that I would love to move somewhere warm!
The sauce on your salmon looks awesome – I’m going to have to try the recipe!
I totally need noise to work, too! And I’m definitely having a raging sweet tooth as well, I think I eat some sweet treat at least 3 times a day. Not that that’s a bad thing 😉
Frappucinos in summer, peppermint hot chocolates in the winter–only way to do it!!!
I like studying outside of home, too. The kicthen, television, and my bed are WAY too distracting for me. And if I head to Starbucks, I always bring a jacket..I know it to get pretty chilly up in there! Brr!
I baked today too! I thought the oven would warm me up..the smell of Nutella chocolate chip cookies (recipe from Courtney over at STSL..your “blog twin”! I’ve also noted so many similarities before you even mentioned that she was your “blog twin”..hmm..this is getting too long to be in parentheses 🙁 oh well! ) wasn’t too bad either 🙂
i feel the exact same way about starbucks! in fact- i spent practically the past two days there studying for finals! when i mean business and i really need to focus starbucks is my destination of choice!
I loooovvveee the holiday drinks at Starbucks!! But yes, when it is cold I always get the hot version although I prefer frappuccino’s.
I don’t really like any warm drinks, wish I did.
me too! Especially when it’s winter time.
Hmm that sauce sounds interesting! Where do you buy your salmon? Yours always looks so good but I can never seem to find any decent looking salmon anywhere- especially Publix!
ha! i actually buy it from publix. 🙂
I’m always looking for new salmon toppings, I’ll have to try that!
i feel the SAME WAY. I always get SO MUCH done at Starbucks. Other favorite places to work? [feel free to make fun of me here] The mall food court. Yep, I’m serious. Also, I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE bringing my computer to Denny’s late at night as college kids and concert goers all pile in for late night meals. I used to do this ALL THE TIME back in the day, and I would get so much done! [and also, I now have a ridiculous affection for Denny’s fries]
We had salmon for dinner last night too, along with sauteed onions, mushrooms, zucchini and brussel sprouts! Next time you have salmon, try this simple sauce: soy sauce mixed with ginger. Pour it on before broiling it, then add a little more ginger before you eat it! So tasty!
fresh ginger or dried? sounds delicious!
Just ground ginger (powder). Very easy to sprinkle!