BLOCHO'S TACOS

During my annual check up, I sat and watched the phlebotomist draw blood for my standard blood tests, thinking everything would be just dandy. 3 days later I found out that my Vitamin B12 levels, while in the "normal range" are on the low side.  This slight B12 deficiency likely explains why I've been going to bed at 10pm and still feeling exhausted. So, how do you amp up that B12? Two options: with a supplement or by eating foods in which B12 occurs naturally. Part of my feels strongly opposed to taking a supplement because there are natural sources for B12, but most of them are animal products (red meat! clams! liverwurst!) and I'm always conscious of the ethical - and health - impact of animal products/animal protein.  Plus, my recent trip to Israel has not convinced me to keep Kosher, but I certainly take note of when I'm not doing so.  Yay treif! Looking at the list of foods my doc recommended, I could definitely see myself heavily consumer many of t...

Last week, I joined the marketing team. This required me to pack up my desk - a laborious process considering I keep a mini kitchen and 5 pairs of shoes in the office - and move to the other side of the floor to sit with the marketing team. With a new team comes new discoveries.  I find them all fascinating.  Here are a few. It is very quiet.  Most conversation is work-related which is a) productive and b) very different from my old desk. The temperature is much warmer.  I keep a blanket at my desk because I used to work in an ice box. My coworkers have very distinct eating habits.   We have a stand up meeting.  I love standing in the workplace. As the weeks progress, I know more tendencies will start to unveil themselves.  I cannot wait!

To the mouse in my apartment. Dear mouse that is living in my apartment, Please go away. You do not pay rent and I want to evict you. Why are you so stubborn? For a week I've placed very sticky traps to lure you into submission and you've strategically avoided all of them. You don't even seem to like the tasty poison I've left for you. Last night, when you sauntered from the fridge towards the bookshelf, paused, and turned back towards the fridge, a part of me sympathized for your nomadic life. But here's the thing, buddy. I spent a very long time trying to move to my apartment. Yes, I know its a pretty hip NYC neighborhood and many people want to live there, but it is my name on the lease, not yours. You don't live there!  I hear there are plenty of new up-and-coming neighborhoods in Midtown West or Queens -- go to Astoria! Why won't you go there?? You've made my home feel foreign and my meditative relaxation before bed is now filled with...

Clementines were our appetizer! Meals from the Heart Cafe Ordered: Poached Egg and Crab Cake Passion, Cheese Grits, Vegan Power Smoothies. Some great things about this place: It's located in the French Market and there's plenty of seating either at their counter or in an area with lots of tables/chairs. Because the French Market seems to be a bit of a tourist destination, the crowd is buzzy.  This place, however, gets visits from lots of locals! They give you clementines after you order Everything can be made gluten-free I had my first crab cake at Meals from the Heart Cafe and I would return again and again for that crab cake.  It was light.  It was tasty.  It came with a sauce/aioli that was finger-lickin' good.  The cheese grits were delicious, but I needed to add hot sauce to bring out the depth in flavor.  The Vegan Power shake was huge and extremely satisfying. Into one smoothies they pack fruit, walnuts, flaxseeds, almond milk, hemp mi...

In the past 7 years since I've been gluten free, the market has seen a tremendous increase in the number of gluten-free items on the store shelves.  Cookies, pretzels, cereals, breads, corn dogs, chicken nuggets, muffins, crackers...you name it!  Carb-y good ness now comes in all different gluten free shapes and sizes.  It seems like every brand -- from King Arthur Flour to Betty Crocker -- is coming up with a gluten free variation.  I've tried a lot of these products, but if you were to ask me for recommendations, I don't feel super passionate about one over the other.  I tend to grab what is available and have not developed a preference one way or the other.  I would feel OK about this indifference if the items were really the same, but they're not.  Everyone has their own take on gluten free and the blend of flours used typically differ. I made the assumption that the category with the greatest variety in composition and the one where having an op...

My new favorite place to people watch in NYC: The uptown end of the 1/2/3 train at Times Square on a weekday during rush hour . Lots of people. Lots of stories. Very fun to make up your own.

The United States is filled with lots of cool cities that have lots of cool things.  I feel very fortunate to have spent and be spending a large portion of my formative years in New York City where it seems like you can have any type of experience you want at any hour of the day. I love New York.  And, there are many other cities I have a passion to explore. One of those cities is New Orleans. Similar to my obsession with Austin, TX,  my fascination with New Orleans sprang up out of nowhere.  I don't think it has to do with Mardi Gras, but maybe I can attribute it to Jazz Fest?  Whatever it is, New Orleans has been in the Top 5 of my "Places to Visit in the US" for a while now. Feeling spontaneous one dreary winter afternoon, I started looking up flights (and hotels) for Jazz Fest 2014.  Clearly, I was too late in the game as all the decent places had been booked and flight fares were astronomical.  I spoke to my mom about this and asked h...