I don’t know what was more exciting: Running in Harpoon Brewery‘s 9th annual 5 mile race or wearing our team t-shirts for the world to see!

I ate a Blueberry Raspberry Bran muffin before leaving for Harpoon Brewery.

We arrived at 9 for the 10 am race so there was plenty of time for pictures.

What?!?!  Jared and I are never on time for anything so this was amazing.

“If you brew it, we will run”

Great beer decorations!

Knee socks were an optional part of the team uniform.

Our 2nd year running the Harpoon 5 Miler together.

The starting area was really small.  We were pushed forward to the 7 minute mile pace and ended up being passed by quite a few people.  I wasn’t upset: More people passing by meant more people saw my awesome t-shirt!

A warning for the residents of South Boston?

The race was out to Castle Island and back.  Even though it wasn’t overly sunny while we ran, it was still hot and muggy.  Good preparation for our night race in Disney this fall.

At least there weren’t thunder storms!  I was nervous, but by race time, the rain had passed.  (And by the time we crossed the finish line, the sun was shining and it was a beautiful day!)

I didn’t wear my Garmin because I wasn’t running this race for time.  I didn’t run with Jared during the Shape Up RI Half Marathon so I promised to stay with him during this race.

He had been having various leg pains over the past few weeks so he really needed encouragement to get through this race.

Jared did great!  We took 1 short walking break during a water stop and then jogged our way back to the Brewery.  We held hands when we crossed the finish line!  Awww.

After chugging water and changing into flip flops , I was ready for some lunch.  Bertucci’s provided salad and pasta.

Oh yeah, I had some beers too!    I enjoyed a refreshing UFO White and a UFO Raspberry.

Promise my friends and me some beers and we’ll run just about anywhere.

So. Much. Good. Beer!

Jars of barley and hops were passed around for everyone to smell.  We were told that anyone brave enough could try a bite.

All my guy friends tried both types of barley and the hops.  I think Jared regretted eating an entire hop pellet.  Yuck!

Freshly made batch of UFO white.

We were allowed to sample a really “green” IPA.  Flat and not as good as IPA that’s aged a little bit longer.

Bottling machines.  We were told that they malfunction regularly and fling bottles at the wall.  One important reason why there aren’t tours during bottling days!

The tour concluded with 20 minutes of “All You Can Taste.”  I enjoyed my Harpoon favorites:  IPA, UFO White, and Raspberry.  Time ran out before I could have a glass of the Belgian Pale Ale.

We didn’t want to end our perfect summer day after the brewery tour.  So everyone chipped in to buy beer and groceries so we could enjoy a springtime BBQ with friends.

Miles explored the alley behind my friends’ apartment.  Lots of springtime smells to investigate!

Jared was SO proud of his Garbage Plate dinner.

All of the guys ate similar mashups of random ingredients and gross meaty hot sauce.  It made my veggie burger, pasta salad, and veggies seem like such a boring meal. 

Miles enjoyed being a party guest.  He may not be the best behaved dog on the block, but he always appreciates being invited to hang out with the group.

Good beer, good food, and good friends are truly good for the soul! 

I also think exercise is good for the soul.  I have some killer workouts on schedule for next week.  Eek!

I hadn’t been to Body Pump in such a long time, and my muscles definitely reminded me of this fact.

I kept the weights low so I wouldn’t overdo it.  I just had fun with each Body Pump track, singing along with the music I haven’t listened to in a few weeks and enjoying the simple yet effective moves for each muscle group.  Plus it was great to see my favorite instructor Julie again.  She even gave me some tips on marathon training!

After Body Pump, I went out to lunch with my good friend Molly.

Girl talk while I ate the most delicious sandwich ever.  I ordered chicken, pear, and Brie on pressed bread.  A-maz-ing!

Plus a side salad and a pickle.  I might need to ask Molly for the restaurant info so I can go back and eat this sandwich every day for the rest of my life.  One of the best things I’ve eaten in a long time!

Jared invited me to an event for RIT alumni.  We went to the Kinsale for a Peak Organic Beer tasting and food pairing.

#1:  Summer Ale paired with grilled asparagus with orange and walnuts.

#2:  India Pale Ale with roasted pear and Goat cheese salad

#3:  Pale Ale with 4 cheese Cavatappi

#4:  Nut Brown Pale Ale with onion soup

#5:  Amber Ale with sweet potato fries with chipotle ketchup

#6:  Espresso Amber Ale paired with Vermont cheddar and chocolate

I’m not a beer girl.  I normally drink wine.  But I enjoyed each Peak Organic brew with each food pairing.  The subtleties of each beer were reflected in the food choice.  The Summer Ale was my favorite, nice and light, not too hoppy.

I took lots of nighttime photos on the walk home.  It was such a nice night.  And after so many appetizers and sips of beer, I appreciated being able to get my blood flowing and start digesting.

Plus I made time for an ice cream dessert.  A small scoop of Oreo in a sugar cone!

My Thursday was filled with good food and drinks.  Too bad I can’t eat like this every day!

After the Sports and Fitness Expo, Becky and I got ready for Wine Riot.

We headed to the Cyclorama for some tasty sips.

Plus Cabot cheese to go with the wine.  Mmmm!

I even tried Malbec in a Box.

Riesling, the ultimate girly girl wine!

Overall, I was a bit underwhelmed by Wine Riot.  I would’ve preferred tastings from more vineyards, rather than just wine distributors.  Many wine-related questions that I asked went unanswered because the exhibitors did not have the knowledge.

I had fun at Wine Riot, but I’m glad I didn’t have to pay for my tickets.  Winning was a great way in because it would not have been worth $45 per ticket!

We went to Francesca’s to grab sandwiches.  Mine was called the “Love Me Tender” which was a Cuban sandwich with pork, melted Swiss cheese, mayo, and pickles.

Cousin bonding time!

And bloggers in action.  Beck has a lot of blog work to do.  Big changes coming to Beck on the Run.  And I have some Crunches for Cupcakes tasks to tend to.

I brought Becky along to a group dinner at the Middle East.  We ordered several pitchers of Harpoon UFO for the table.  I didn’t drink very much.  Beer is very filling!

Appetizer for the table: Hummus, tabouli, and baba ganoush. 

I knew I wouldn’t be hungry after housing the delicious appetizer platter.  Becky and I shared the Middle Eastern Couscous: Middle eastern vegetarian cassarole with chickpeas, spices, and caramelized onions.

We headed to the Middle East’s downstairs music venue to listen to An Horse and Kaki King.  Not my type of music and not an overly fun crowd, but my friends made the best of things.  The highlight of the evening was when we found 2 clothespins on the bar and tried to clip them to Jared’s hood without getting caught.  Not a funny story, but it was so amusing in person!

RIT played well showed up for their game.  They lost to Wisconsin.  It wasn’t a good game, but I supported Jared’s school never the less.

Now a recap of yesterday afternoon and evening.  Get psyched

Blueberry bar and an Iced Chai Latte for an afternoon snack.

I didn’t get home from work until 5:30 so I missed the 1st period of the RIT/Wisconsin game.  But I got right into the spirit of the game, cutting up an orange for…

A Blue Moon beer!

We snacked on pita chips and hummus while we cheered (and cried a little) as RIT got crushed by the Badgers.  Even though it was a crappy game, just making it to the Frozen Four was huge for RIT hockey and for the school.  Great job Tigers!

I was super indecisive on what to eat for dinner.  Around 8 pm, we finally ordered from Bottega Fiorentina, a small Italian restaurant on Newbury Street.  Jared and I split a Caprese Salad.

I ate half of my Cheese Tortellini and saved the rest for another day.  Mmm, sometimes I crave the warmth and comfort of good Italian food.

I went to bed full and happy.  Even had a dream that I was still a cheerleader at BC!

When it comes to this morning’s breakfast, I’ll consider it win for Ease and a loss for Creativity.

I was super boring and ate a bowl of Special K again.  The box is empty so I can move on to my interesting breakfasts for the next few days.

After working out, my mom and I had time to grab lunch together.  I had a bowl of chicken soup.

Plus a grilled cheese.

I snacked on a Z Bar…every flavor is so yummy.  I don’t care if it’s a kiddie snack; I love it.

Being a Friend of Harpoon, I attended a tasting of Harpoon Brewery’s new Belgian Pale Ale.

I’m not a true beer aficionado, but I really enjoyed Harpoon’s new release.  The Belgian Pale Ale was pleasant to drink, with a slight bitter after taste.  It had a nice nose; I could smell cloves, bananas, and even bubble gum.

Along with beer tickets, Harpoon gave everyone a ticket for “pomme frites.”  Yum!

After the tasting, my group of friends headed to dinner at St. Alphonzo’s Kitchen in Southie.

We ordered calamari for the table.  RI style, fried nice and crispy.

Plus an appetizer known as “The Big Cheese.”  A block of mozzarella with house-made marina.  We also shared several bottles of Le Croix de Queynac Bordeaux.

I ordered the Chicken Piccata.  It came with a side of penne and asparagus.  I devoured the pasta and asparagus but saved 1 piece of chicken for later.

By the time I got home, I was still showing my support for Harpoon, but instead of alcohol, I just wanted some “H two Ohhh.”

It was a great Thursday night, drinking at Harpoon and having dinner with friends.  Plus after MUCH debate, a summer vacation with friends has been finalized. 

Celebrated Halloween Eve with some pumpkin coffee from DD.

I snacked on crackers with Laughing Cow cheese.

We had a Halloween Party at work.  They handed out cookies that looked eerily similar…

…to Miles’ dog treats!

Dinner was BBQ chicken and a baked potato topped with cheddar cheese and plain Chobani.

We celebrated the good news of my being cleared for graduation with a glass of champagne!

Then we watched Interview With a Vampire, which I read the Wiki for just to make sure I remembered the plot, and I sipped a Harvest Moon beer.

Miles wanted to help me with some blog work.  I wore my ghost pajama pants to be extra spirited.

Saturday…

Happy Halloween!  Decked out in Black and Orange to go to the BC game.

After the game we went to the Cambridge Brewing Co. for the Great Pumpkin Festival.  Everything was pumpkin themed!  I tried several types of pumpkin beers including Great Pumpkin Ale (CBC beer), Biere de Gourde (CBC beer), Ich Bin Ein Kurbisweisse (CBC beer),  and Pumking (Southern Tier).

Nicki and Drew were so cute, matching Swedish Chefs!

Even the menu was entirely pumpkin!  We all split the Pumpkin Apple Bisque for an appetizer.  Mmm!  I ordered the Pumpkin Pizza with garlic confit, fingerling potatoes, kale, and Vermont goat  cheese.  It was SO good.

Sunday…

The Boston Vegetarian Food Festival was mobbed.  It was so crowded that it was really difficult to walk, let alone try to take tons of pictures.

Amazing Grass!

Trying my first sip of Amazing Grass blended with apple juice.  I liked it!

Peanut Butter Co.  I Love Peanut Butter!  I tried a few samples.  So yummy!

Tomatoes that we tasted as part of Bruschetta.  Must buy and recreate ASAP!

But this was my obsession….

Vegan desserts!

Beautiful fall day in Boston.

Cute streets in the Back Bay/South End area of town.

Mario and friends as pumpkins!

And one final parting gift to celebrate the end of Halloween Weekend…

(Good thing we picked up the laundry that morning.  Jared was able to put a clean bundle of socks to good use!)

I had a cup of Jamaican Me Crazy coffee when I woke up this morning.  Thanks to Daylight Savings, I was able to sleep in, yet it seemed like I was up and at ‘em since it was only 8:30 am.

Breakfast was a mini whole grain bagel  with cream cheese and strawberry jelly.  I accidentally toasted my bagel for too long so it was extra crispy.

It was a lazy Sunday so I showered just before lunchtime.  I made a sandwich on my last Arnold Thin using hummus, carrot bits, and some Laughing Cow cheese.

That didn’t fill me up for very long.  I had a VitaMuffin, nuked to perfection and 1/2 of these candy pumpkins.  Jared ate the rest. (Any attentive readers notice the hidden message?  I’m such a geek!)

We took the T to Roxbury Crossing to go to the Boston Vegetarian Food Festival.  It was SO crowded.  We tried a bunch of samples and I took pictures with my camera.  I’ll update tomorrow when I get my USB cable!

We went to Shaws after the Veg Fest.  I was so happy to get home and have a huge glass of water with fresh lemon slices.  So refreshing!

I used the coupons Stonyfield sent to me to buy Oikos Greek yogurt.  Can’t wait to give this a try tomorrow.

Jared was craving pizza for dinner so we ordered NY style pizza from Bostone Pizza.  We ordered a large (takes 2 boxes), but a small would’ve been plenty.

My 1/2 of the pizza featured chicken, artichokes, and broccoli.; I’m going to be eating leftovers all week!  Plus a Harvest Moon beer.  These aren’t my favorite, but there are a few more left in the fridge and I want to get rid of them.

Mmm, dessert!  Jared and I split a piece of vegan carrot cake from Vegan Treats Bakery.  I wish they were located in Boston so I could try more of their desserts.  This was SO good.

In the spirit of Halloween, I made my first batch of pumpkin oatmeal.

I mixed 1/2 cup of oatmeal with cinnamon, brown sugar, and a heaping tablespoon of pumpkin.  I topped it with a dollop of cream cheese that tasted amazing when blended into the bowl.  So yummy!

Beautiful autumn day in Boston!!!  It’s typically COLD and miserable weather on Halloween so this was a nice treat.

I got free tickets to the BC football game.  We ate lunch on campus at Hillside.  I ordered the “Turkey with Brie” sandwich.

Turkey, brie, lettuce, and honey mustard on cranberry bread.  Served with homemade chips and a pickle.  The cranberry bread is the star of this sandwich.  I love it!

We met Molly and a few of her friends for some pregame partying.  I had to keep the pumpkin theme going with some Dogfish Punkin Ale.  Mmm!

BC vs. Central Michigan

My parents enjoyed the game too!   Jared and I left a few minutes into the 3rd quarter, but kept checking the score to make sure that the Eagles got the victory.

Halloween time:  Jared dressed as an 80s rocker.

I was a 50′s Diva.

Jared just yelled that the dog is staring longingly at my Haunted Gingerbread House and whining.  So I’d better end this post now and tend to the crazy dog!