I wanted to do a circuit workout at the gym today.
I wanted to get my heart rate pumpin’ to the tune of mountain climbers, plank holds and pushups, but the scrapes, scabs and bruises on my elbow and knee from Friday’s bike accident ruled out that possibility.
Instead I brought back a treadmill interval incline workout!
I forgot how hard interval treadmill workouts are… especially when you throw inclines in the mix. The speeds and inclines on this workout weren’t particularly crazy, but I was super sweaty at the end.
I completed the treadmill workout after a light 20-minute warm up on the elliptical and 10 minutes on the stair master.
Breakfast
I changed up breakfast a bit today!
Okay, that’s a blatant lie, but I did swap the muenster cheese on my egg, cheese and jelly sandwich for sharp cheddar.
Things are getting craaazy up in here!
A sliced apple was served on the side for some added sweetness and fiber.
City Dreamin’
On Tuesday’s hike with Ryan and Sadie, Ryan and I began talking about our desire to go on some kind of a vacation in 2012.
Longtime blog readers may remember when our initial honeymoon plans to St. Lucia were canceled 48 hours before we were supposed to leave because of a hurricane.
We ended up going on a “Tour de Florida” which was really fun, but we promised ourselves that we would make it to St. Lucia for our one-year wedding anniversary.
Well, that obviously didn’t happen.
With our unanticipated move to Ocala and Ryan beginning a new job, taking a week off work didn’t seem like a good idea, so our St. Lucia plans have been postponed. We’re now thinking St. Lucia might make a good five-year anniversary trip.
Anyway, we are hoping to take some sort of a vacation together in 2012. When we began talking about what we were looking for, we both agreed we want an active vacation with lots to see and explore.
The more we talked, the more we realized that a city vacation is what we’re looking for at the moment. New York City? Barcelona? San Francisco? Washington D.C.?
We obviously have no particular city in mind and haven’t started to research places yet, so I figured I would look to you guys for guidance since you always provide the best recommendations when it comes to travel.
So, I ask you…
Question of the Morning
- What is the most memorable city you’ve visited and what made it so special?
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
OMG!!!!!
I cannot say how much I loved Barcelona enough!!
Beautiful landscape, breathtaking cathedrals, shopping, amazing food…like I will go on and on.
Well I happen to have just returned (as in one hour ago) from a quick little trip to NYC with my boyfriend, and we loved it! The hotels there are expensive, but if you haven’t been there (which I hadn’t), there is SO MUCH to see and do!
There is nothing like NYC. But, I’m partial, as a native New Yorker and NYC resident….
Consider Charleston, sc. Beautiful, romantic, and active. I love to travel but it is the only city I continue to go back to time after time. The humidity is terrible in the summer so I suggest spring or late fall.
Hi Julie! I am an avid blog reader and have somehow gone this long with posting any comments..but I just had to for this one! I was born in D.C. And have lived fifteen minutes out of the city my whole life. It’s wonderful here and a WONDERFUL place to visit. We’ve said that even living here we feel like we are on vacation we go into the city and surrounding areas. Its great because you have d.c. Itself with all it’s landmarks and history but there are so many other places close by that are equally as great. Old town Alexandria is just a few minutes away and is right on the river, full of history but also has great quaint shops and wonderful places to eat! The new great attraction is national harbor which is GORGEOUS. it’s waterside, has the Gaylord hotel which is phenomenal and you can shop and eat right by the river it’s fantastic! Georgetown is also just as close offering the same amenities in a historical waterside city area. There is so much more to d.c than just the city itself I highly recommend it for a vacation spot!!
New York City and Paris are the two cities that stand out most on my mind. I remember losing my breathe when I saw NYC for the first time at age ten. I recently lived in NYC doing a master’s program (from August 2010-August 2011) and every single day I thought it was amazing to be in such a vibrant city–even on the days where I was stressed out about writing my thesis and it was freezing cold. That said, I am an LA native and lived in the Bay Area for six years, so you really can’t go wrong with LA or SF. As for Europe, my mom’s from London and that city is great too, but Paris won my heart over in just a day.
I’m from just south of San Francisco and while I love the city and there is tons to do there, it still is just a big city! And the weather is definately not ideal here (I’m so jealous of how warm its still in Florida!). I went abroad last summer to Paris and loved it, but I also was able to take a weekend trip to Barcelona and FELL IN LOVE. It was such a vibrant, fun, and happy city! The people were so nice, it was gorgeous and there was so much to do! I cannot wait to go back some point in my life!
If you have an entire week off, my vote is for Northern California-San Francisco, Sonoma/Napa (one hour from SF), maybe Tahoe or Yosemite too (3 hours from SF). You get it all-City life, countryside and wine, gorgeous mountains and hiking, beautiful weather, friendly people…. September would be the best month.
Vienna is one of my favourite places, beautiful around christmas and during the summer. In a couple of days I’m travelling to London with my boyfriend. We had plans to go to New York but the flights were crazy expensive right now so we’ll stay in Europe 🙂 Paris is the next trip in my calendar, we have booked a trip there over easter break 🙂
i am partial to NYC, but why not knock out two cities in one trip and do a joint DC and NYC trip? 4 days in each location maybe. They are only about 3.5 hours away from each other by train, so you can leave one (early) morning, and still make it to the other by (late) morning.
DC is such a fun city to visit ! The sights, the history, the food.. It’s all there and quite affordable ! They have plenty of things to do for active bodies too- running trails, bike rentals, kayaking, etc. DC gets my vote !
Seattle is my favorite domestic city! Lots to do in the city, beautiful hiking and water activities close by. The salmon is out of this world. Also, you can go on quick excursions to Portland or Vancouver!
My favorite international city is Rio de Janiero. Amazing beaches, hikes, dancing… And food!
in the US my all time favorite place is Charleston,SC. It’s so beautiful and so full of history and things to do! You also have the beach just 15-20 mintues outside of the city!
Outside the US- Venice, Italy was the most memorable city. It’s sites are breathtaking, and not to mention the food is incredible! Also in Italy I visited the islands of the Italian Riviera- Cinque Terre (means five lands) This place is unbelievable! it’s non commercialized and there are no vehicles allowed onthe islands. you have to take a shuttle from the mountains down to the village and then you can visit the other 4 islands by hiking or by train. Definitely recommend!
SF! Walkable, foodie, so many cultures, so diverse!
I love NYC and live in DC and both are great. I am from Austin, Texas and it is a really amazing city to visit especially during the summer time. There is a great running trail around the lake near downtown. GREAT food. Great live music. In the summer there is an event called blues on the green that is very fun. There is also a huge natural springs pool (Barton Springs) where you can swim and hike and dogs are totally welcome. It’s a very dog friendly city (just in case Sadie wants to come with). Not as big as NYC, DC, etc. but very fun, relaxed city!
i would love a texas vacation!
NYC=crowded and dirty….there isn’t the pretty landscape, and you always have someone touching you at all time. I would def say that San Francisco is super fun
Scottsdale was one of our favorites. They have some beautiful resorts where you can lay by the pool or relax at the spa, but they also have unbelievable hiking and great weather for outdoor activities. Also not far from the Grand Canyon!
San Francisco, hands down! I’ve lived here for pretty much all my life so I might be a little biased when I say it’s a pretty great city. Whether you’re a local or a tourist, there’s SO many different things to do and places/attractions to see! And, you can always rent a car and make the short drive to Napa for wine tasting if you’re into that kind of thing. There’s also a lot of nice hiking trails all around too! Plus, there’s a lot of diverse places for food both in the city and along the coast 🙂
I just recently started reading your blog a few months ago but never really commented until now 🙂 Happy New Year’s though Julie!
Not sure if you have a specific time in mind but if you end up going with DC, wait ’til it’s at least cherry blossom season or later in the spring/summer. So much prettier
My husband and I just honeymooned in Santorini, Greece. It’s not as tropical, but it’s on an island, which was incredibly fun to explore, and Oia, where we stayed, is probably the most magical place I’ve ever been.
Surprisingly, one of my favorite vacations ever was Denver, Colorado. We had a blast exploring, visiting breweries, and trying tons of great restaurants.
However, my suggestion is actually San Francisco. It’s my favorite city in the world! Amazing food, great shopping, beautiful views, and terrific walking! I know you guys love hikes, and San Francisco is the world’s best city for urban walking! Tons of hills and lots of great places to stop along the way.
Can’t wait to see where you guys go!
San Diego is amazing! La Jolla is the most gorgeous place I’ve ever been. Definitely consider it! 🙂
Hi Julie,
I know this post is a couple of years old, but I just found your blog via Pinterest, and I love it–I’m training for my second 5K, and will be stuck on the treadmill for the next couple of weeks (I live in New York State, and we just got hit with a foot of snow, so running outside isn’t really an option right now). I’ve just started interval and incline training, so I’m really excited to try this one out.
Thank you!
Okay so that was super hard! My heart is seriously pound in my ears!!
Learning to swim is a very daunting task. I recently overcame my 20+ years of swimming. I have sat on the sideline and watching everyone else have fun, but me. I tried taking several swimming courses over the years, This video is my testimonial to the current swim course I am in.