Tag Archives: Boston

Moving And Healing

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Today it has been 9 days since the bombings at the Boston Marathon, and I still have a very heavy heart. I am writing today’s post mostly for my own therapeutic reasons, so I understand if you want to skip over this one. But for me, I have to write this.

I almost didn’t publish this post, because I know that not everyone who reads this blog is from Boston, and I know you don’t read this blog to hear about how sad I am. But this is real life, and I want others out there to know that it’s ok if you feel like you can’t just move on, if you still feel fear, or if you’re just having a hard time figuring out what emotions you’re actually feeling.  After this, my regular blog posts will resume, but like I said I just had to write this to help my own healing process.

I’m having a very hard time coming to terms with my feelings about this past week. I have felt every emotion over the past several days, ranging from fear, terror, confusion, sadness, and yes, even happiness. I have been dealing with intense feelings of guilt that as a health care provider, I was not at the finish line to help. I have felt anxiety and tension while waiting for the FBI to release pictures of the suspects. Until the suspects were caught Thursday night into Friday, I felt fear walking the streets of my own city, my only solace being the armed guards at nearly every street corner. I have been terrified inside my own home, with a city on lockdown, too scared to even go out on my front porch, for fear that the suspect could be hiding near by.  I have cried more than I can remember ever crying, and my tears have been set off by emotional events such as visiting the memorial sites, as well as every day experiences like simply hearing the National Anthem.

Boston4One of my favorite spots in the city.

And although the suspects were killed and captured late this week, I can’t say that my fear has completely dissipated. I have found myself jumping when I hear sirens, tensing up when I see helicopters in the sky, and nervously watching people who are walking around with backpacks. All of this has made me feel completely crazy. Living in a big city, police sirens and medical/news helicopters are not rare sounds; backpacks are the most popular accessory in a city full of college students. Yet I feel uneasy. I feel uneasy because these two men were people who were heavily involved in our community, who literally could have been anybody’s friend, neighbor, or coworker.

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I don’t like admitting that I still feel afraid, because I’ve been told over and over again that being afraid “lets the terrorists win”. I’ve been told that Boston is strong and we won’t let them cause fear in our city.  But while yes, Boston is strong, that doesn’t mean that it’s shameful to feel fear. I’m not letting them win, because I’m not going to stop living my life, but I do absolutely feel fear, and I want others to know that it’s ok to do so.

Boston2Boston’s Finest at the memorial site near the bombings on Boylston

Despite all of this sadness though, I have been actively healing. Throughout the tense and highly emotional week, there has been plenty of laughter. I’ve gone to see two movies for a little bit of escape, and have spent precious time with some of my best friends. I celebrated with my city on Friday night after suspect #2 was apprehended, and have taken time to be thankful for the BPD and all of our armed forces who have protected us so well.  I have also healed myself through movement. On Tuesday, I rode my bike around the city all day, taking in the sites, sounds, and smells of the city I love so dearly. I wore a weighted vest to my stadium run on Wednesday morning, and completed 26 sections of Harvard Stadium, pushing myself to the finish for all of those who couldn’t finish the race on Monday.

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So don’t get me wrong, healing is happening. I just know that it’s going to be a long process for me.  And that’s ok. I’ve had a few conversations with people over the past couple days about how we’re all sort of supposed to move on, and it almost seems like we’re not supposed to even talk about this anymore. But some of us need to talk about it, and for some of us, the process of working through all of the emotions that surround an event like this will take a lot longer. And that is ok. Moving on doesn’t have to mean forgetting or ignoring, but simply looking toward the positive and making the best life we can out of what we’ve got. There is a lot of love in this city, and for that, I am thankful.

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I ran into these two the day after the bombing, leaving a trail of chalk-drawn inspirational messages along the Charles River Bike Path. Healing at it’s finest :)  

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Boston is One. Boston Strong. 

Reflections on Boston

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It saddens me that this is the second time in the past few months that I am writing about a senseless, tragic act of violence, and I’m not even really sure what to say here that will make any sense.

I was about a mile away from the finish line during the Boston Marathon yesterday, a day which is one of my favorite days of the year. For the past 10 years I’ve been watching this marathon, most years right at the finish line. Thank goodness I wasn’t there this year.  At one point this afternoon, first we got a couple of vague texts about “explosions”, and eventually news started coming through on Twitter about 2 explosions at the finish line. Confusion led to fear, and when we were having our bags checked and being evacuated from the streets, we knew that these explosions had been very, very serious.

The bombing yesterday took my breath away. It cut away the feeling of safety that I have had here for so long. Boston is my home. I know these streets better than any other city, and it is here that I feel comfortable, that I feel like I belong. Boston is where I have grown into the person I am today, and the place where I can see myself spending the rest of my life. And now, because of one unfathomable act, I no longer feel safe in this city, my home.

I spent a good portion of the afternoon responding to texts/calls wondering if I was ok, and also trying to get in touch with friends of mine who I knew were very close to the finish line. It is an excruciatingly painful feeling knowing a bomb has exploded directly where you know your loved ones might be. It’s terrifying, and waiting for those “I’m ok” phone calls and texts felt like waiting a lifetime.

I don’t understand how we have gotten to this point where there is no longer a safe place to go. We can’t go to the movies, we can’t go to school, we can’t even go to watch one of the most historical, celebrated marathons in the world. A day that revolves around an entire city celebrating strength, endurance, and perseverance has turned into tragedy and fear.

But I have no doubt that we as a city will rally together to get through this. Just yesterday, immediately after the explosions, the Boston Police Department, EMS, the Marathon Medical Staff, and civilians acted swiftly and selflessly to help those who were injured, wounded, lost, scared, dazed, or simply in need of a place to stay warm. There were some truly heroic acts, and amidst the chaos, the strength and resilience of this city remained.

But although we are strong, we are still human. Today, I am shocked, I am devastated, I am confused, and I am angry, and I am terribly sad. For these reasons, I will not be posting again on the blog this week; I need some time to move past this on my own.

So.. Until next week. Stay Strong Boston. #LoveThatDirtyWater

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Boston Marathon 2013: A Letter To The Runners

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***EDIT: The following post was written and posted the morning before the tragic Boston Marathon bombing. My heart goes out to all those affected, and to all of those whose lives were turned upside down for one senseless act of violence. Stay Strong, Boston.***

 

Today is one of the best days of the year in Boston; Marathon Monday. Instead of a normal blog post, I’ve taken today to write a letter to all of the runners who will be pounding the pavement today:

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Dear Marathon Runners,

Do you know what you’re about to do? You’re about to run. 26.2 miles.

From Hopkinton to Boylston St, through Framingham, Wellesley, Newton, and Brookline, among other towns in between. Past throngs of screaming students from Wellesley College, BC, BU, and the 30something other colleges in the Boston Area (because of course all of the colleges have this day off, it’s “Patriots Day”). Up Heartbreak Hill, where you’ll want to just crawl your way to the top (or alternatively, curl up in the fetal position and cry… both are acceptable). You’ll run through some quieter areas, but for the most part the crowds will be so loud and excited that, for better or worse, you’ll hardly be able to hear yourself think. You’re about to run.

You’re about to join the exclusive club of people who have run Boston. BOSTON. The world’s oldest annual marathon, and one that is the pinnacle of many runners’ careers. Runners from all over the US and all over the world dream of running in this race, and here you are. You are HERE. You are about to run.  You are becoming a part of history; a part of a century-old tradition, and this is happening NOW.

And I’ll be somewhere in Mile 25 eating handing out Swedish Fish to those who need a little glucose kick (and maybe throwing back a mimosa or two). And for that, that makes you better than me (for today). You have trained your butt off, you have logged countless miles throughout a long, cold winter in order to get ready for today. You have dedicated your weekends to long runs and your social life has taken a back seat to the pavement. For that, I applaud you. Whether you’re an elite, a weekend warrior, a war veteran, running for a charity or simply to put a check check-mark on your bucket list, know that today you are amazing.

As much as I joke on this blog about how much I hate running, I have the utmost respect for all of you. The reality of the situation is, I couldn’t do what you’re doing today. The time, the commitment, the training sessions, the final event; I know it’s not in the cards for me. But you’re about to complete one of the most incredible tasks of your lives. I applaud you for everything that has brought you to this moment, and I will continue my applause all day, from the sidelines, because not everyone has a marathon in them. YOU do.

You are strong, you are determined. You may be fast, you may be slow, but all that matters is that you’re here, and you’re about to run.

And to my friends Kristen, Steph, and Corey who are running today, this message goes out to you three especially. Good luck on the course, have fun, and most importantly, keep an eye out for me at Mile 25. I’ll give you Swedish Fish. And maybe a mimosa if you ask politely. ;)

You can also check out my Marathon Monday post from last year if you’d like, complete with some thoughts about the inspirational men and women who run this race every year. Enjoy! Happy Marathon Monday everyone! 

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Boston Local Food Festival

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Happy Columbus Day!

What a noble holiday, celebrating Christopher Columbus for being such a stand-up guy.

Wait, what? Whatever, I’m working anyway, so the holiday aint no thang for me, but what I am wondering is whether there are people out there who have actual Columbus Day celebrations? What a theme party that would be.

Anyway, on with the blog.

We had some friends in town this weekend, and we took advantage of the nice cool fall day to walk around downtown at the Boston Local Food Festival.

Of course coffee was my first stop at the festival! 

The festival was held on the newly renovated Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, which is basically a grassy knoll that winds through the busy streets of the Boston Waterfront, in  close proximity to Fanieul Hall. With no shortage of local farms, restaurants and small business offering food, as well as live music and several live food demonstrations, it was a great afternoon despite the crowds!

We tried out plenty of samples and goodies throughout the afternoon, starting with this Maine Sea Kelp Slaw, which I was a little iffy about but just had to try it. Hey, us Mainers have to stick together in the big city, you know?

It was actually pretty good, and was served with some sort of vinegrette on it which kind of cut the kelp taste out altogether. I did try a few pieces that did’t have any of the dressing on it, and it definitely had a hint of “ocean” taste to it. I’m not sure I would actually go out of my way to buy this stuff, but I’m glad I tried it!

We also tried a bunch of other morsels while walking around, including this delicious cashew butter, apple and parsnip soup, fresh tomatoes, and kale chips.

I ended up purchasing the cashew butter because I fell in love at first taste, and the soup, from Beacon Hill Bistro, was a little different but very tasty!  Will loved it; I only had one bite but was impressed with the complex flavors.

The food gem of the day, though, was definitely this smoked-pork flatbread sandwich we got from Blue Glass Cafe. With the meat being smoked directly in front of us, we couldn’t resist this for lunch, and it didn’t disappoint. Topped with kimchi, microgreens, and a mix of other flavors, it was delicious, and at only $5, quite a steal!

Smoking the meat, preparing the plates, and the finished product! A whole lotta yum.

After a bit more walking around, of course we had to also try some sweets (because what is a food festival without some home made baked goods?). We settled on The Everything Cookie from The Cookie Lady, accompanied by hot chocolate with a homemade marshmallow.

The cookie was so ridiculously good; it just might be one of the best cookies I’ve ever had. And the hot chocolate? Out of this world. It was so decadent though, it took 4 of us to finish that one small cup because it was so rich.  However, with the afternoon turning colder by that point, it was a nice ending point to our delicious day of treats.

Besides the food we devoured sampled, there were also some pretty awesome food demonstrations. One of which was an “iron chef” type of competition between two local chefs that I stuck around to watch for a few minutes.  I believe their “mystery fish” was Skate, but I didn’t stick around to see what they ended up coming up with. My bad!

Also, this last piece that I’m going to show you guys is not for those of you with a squeamish stomach. If you tend to get a little woozy when you walk into a butcher shop, I would just skip the end of this post altogether.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

One of the coolest (yet also pretty gross) demonstrations was about how to use the “whole pig”. This woman had an entire half of a pig laid out on the table, and went through a very detailed presentation about the different cuts of meat, what you can do with the different portions, how to butcher it, etc. I stuck around for a little while and then left to wander, but I was there long enough to snap a few pictures.

Seriously…if you don’t want to see this, close your eyes and scroll down for a second:

Take note of the hand saw especially… home girl really knew how to use those tools! Watching her saw through the bone was not the most pleasant part of the presentation, but the anatomy/science geek in me was kind of loving every second of it.

And there you have it! I’m so glad we found out about this festival beforehand, and I definitely hope to try it out again next year. I am a big believer in supporting local farms, farmers, small businesses and restaurants, so to spend an entire afternoon doing just that with some great friends was excellent! The yummy treats were just an added bonus.

How did you spend your weekend? Would you be grossed out or intrigued by the pig presentation? Do you try to buy local products/food?

Healthy Living Summit Recap

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Phew! I am exhausted to say the least. But I’m not complaining, because I spent the weekend with almost 200 other bloggers, networking, connecting, learning, and over all having an amazing time. It was a busy weekend, with lot’s of sessions, social events, workouts and meet-ups, but it was well worth the lack of sleep! What I’m referring to is the Healthy Living Summit, hosted by Healthy Living Blogs.

This year’s HLS, my first, just happened to be in Boston, which is the main reason why I first decided to attend. At the time when I registered a few months ago, I figured at the very least it would be a good way to network, and maybe pick up a few tips about the blogging world since I’m relatively very new to it. Little did I know, I would be bombarded with 2 days of pure awesome-sauce with an amazing group of women (and a couple guys), and even score some crazy swag to take home with me(Hello new kicks from Reebok!!!)

The loot from my swag bag and new kicks on the first day 

When this weekend was approaching, I’ll have to admit that I was pretty nervous. I was going to this summit without having met any other bloggers in person, so you can imagine how I felt walking into the opening cocktail party on Friday night. All alone.  Within a few minutes though, my nerves were gone and I felt right at home. Being around so many likeminded people, people who are passionate about health, nutrition, and fitness made it very easy to strike up conversations. I have to thank Angela and Cheryl for being the first couple of bloggers to take me in and make me feel comfortable!  Later on that evening, and throughout the rest of the weekend, I was able to meet so many of the bloggers whom I read every day, and also make connections with other amazing bloggers that I had yet to discover.

Of course I was beyond excited to meet my two lovely Canadian friends, Meg and Chelsea on that very first night. They both were just as sweet, lovely, adorable and genuine as they come across on their blogs (and I wasn’t surprised!). The rest of the weekend was filled with sessions ranging from blog photography and blog design, to working with brands and reaching out to your community, among others. I picked up so many amazing blogger tips, not only through these sessions, but also through some great conversations I was able to have with some bloggers who are much more seasoned than I am!

I was also fortunate to go out to a delicious Sushi dinner with Meg, Chelsea, Sara, Heather, Katie, Tessa, Julia, and so many other bloggers, it’s almost too much to name everyone. Dinner was followed by frozen yogurt at my personal fave, Berry Line. Not only was I able to share dinner with so many great girls, but I was able to show them my favorite fro-yo place too? Win!

My scrumptious sushi from Cafe Sushi in Cambridge

One of my very favorite parts of the weekend came on Sunday morning though, when I got to have a great park workout with my girl Meg. We had been talking about working out together forever, and it was finally able to happen! While everyone else headed out for a 5k run/walk, we had a great, quick circuit workout followed by some plyos and sprints. It was so fun to be working out together, especially when it came to the sprints because we were able to give each other that extra push to get to the end. Having a workout buddy always kicks my competitive spirit into high gear (but in a good way… Not in an “I’m going to dominate you” kind of way), so I know having Meg by my side helped me to push a little bit harder through the last few sprints.

Here we are after our little sweat session!

Overall, I had an amazing weekend (if you couldn’t already tell that). I met so many amazing people, learned so many helpful tips about blogging, and really started to feel like a part of the blog world. Before this weekend, I didn’t know if I would feel out of place because I don’t do a lot of “foodie” blogging, I don’t develop recipes, etc. But what I found out was that the healthy living blog community includes blogs of all types. There were Cross Fit junkies, gym rats like myself, foodies, and every other type of healthy-living blogger you can think of. We all learned from each other, because we all have something unique to share (even us newbies).

More important than the learning aspect, though, were the connections I made. I was able to talk to so many local Boston area bloggers that I never even knew existed, and I can’t wait to try to plan some meet ups in the future. I also met some great people from all over the country, each with their own views, stories, and experiences.  I want to say a BIG Thank You to the organizers and sponsers of HLS; I’m so glad I got to be a part of it, and hopefully I’ll be able to attend again next year!

With Meg, Chelsea, and Becki at brunch on the last day 

Meg and Chelsea, my two little Canadian peanuts. Love these two!

Melanie and I finally got to meet on the last morning as well! Better late than never!

And in case you’re wondering, YES, there are pictures of me floating around out there of me in something other than workout clothes. I did actually get dressed for the cocktail party and dinner!

Did you go to HLS? What did you think?