The Reinvention of Me: What Comes Next

Right when I got back from London, I decided that it was time to put myself on a diet, as sometimes, a happy relationship = a few “happy” pounds.  So, I pulled out my South Beach Diet books and breathed a heavy sigh.  The South Beach Diet is a good reminder of HOW to cook – what you can cook with, what you can eat a lot of, etc.  But, after doing it enough times, you run out of creativity.  Thus, I found myself counting the days until the first phase was over (side note: 5 days into Phase I (which lasts two weeks) and magically, that’s as far as I got every time).  Still, I pushed on for almost a week, even while on travel to California for work, where there were more than enough temptations.  It got increasingly hard to say no to the appetizers at dinner and asking for the dressing on the side with my salad.

About four days into my trip, a client of mine and one of our business development guys were talking about the Dukan Diet.  Naturally, my ears perked up.  Both were EATING and both looked trim.  So naturally, I asked about this diet.  I can honestly say it has changed me from head to toe.

The Dukan Diet has been used by famous people, such as the Middleton’s before Kate’s wedding (I hear Kate is still on it).  From what I was told, it’s a lifestyle change that requires determination but the payoff is huge.  I’m already seeing it.

The History

This diet was developed by a French doctor that had an obese patient whose levels were high enough to give him a heart attack with one more french fry (I might be exaggerating).  The doctor told him he needed to go on a diet and the patient said he was willing to try but he couldn’t give up meat.  So, they started experimenting – first with protein only.  Two weeks after starting the diet, the man came back in and had lost 20 lbs.  They experimented with adding vegetables and 3 quarts of water and not a single pound was lost (water retention).  After playing with several more combinations, they founded a new diet and the man lost well over 100 lbs. in six months.

This diet was developed for obese people to lose weight however, it’s proven to work for even someone like me, looking to lose 10 lbs.

The Cliff’s Notes version:

1. The Attack Phase: For 2-7 (but no more than 10 days), you eat nothing but protein and as much of it as you want too.  This means as many egg whites, fat-free cheese, lean meats and fish, fat-free yogurt, etc. that you can eat.  There are even great recipes for dessert (think custard) so that you’re not completely depriving yourself.

I went on that for two days, as I noticed my body wasn’t handling it well.  It was craving vegetables, which although are fine, it slows down the weight loss process.  As discovered, protein, in its purest form, is a diuretic and so when consuming nothing but protein, you will naturally shed the water weight.  Still, you must consume at least 3 quarts of water (diet soda and coffee are also allowed and count towards the 3 quarts).

2. Cruise Phase: Continues on until you reach your desired weight (usually 5 days for every pound you want to lose).  This does not mean you are “off the hook” with protein-only days.  The Cruise Phase is designed to reintroduce what your body needs – vitamins.  In this phase, it is required that on Mondays and Thursdays, you eat only protein with every other day including vegetables.  You can continue to consume as much as you want.  Once you hit your desired weight, you can graduate to the Consolidation Phase.

3. Consolidation Phase: This stabilizes your new weight so that you can maintain it for the rest of your life.  They reintroduce certain fruits and a certain amount of bread.  However, one Thursday a month, for the rest of your life, you must eat nothing but protein.  It helps flush out the water weight.

Although my desired goal is 10 lbs., I’m also taking into consideration water weight gain, which adds an additional two pounds to my goal.  Thus, I might be on this phase for another month.  While that sounds daunting, the results have been amazing.  I have so much more energy than I’ve ever had, my skin looks healthier, I’m thinner, my mood has improved, my workouts are better and the best part, I get to EAT whenever I want and whatever I want that is included on the list of approved foods (including some amazing recipes).

If you’re interested in trying it, the Kindle version of the book was $12, which is FAR CHEAPER than what I paid for the South Beach books all those years ago.

Exercise

They recommend at least 20 minute walks in the Attack phase and 30 minute walks in the Cruise Phase.  The thing to note is that because this is meant for obese people, it’s crucial that they exercise.  For those needing to lose 10 lbs. or less, yes, you should always work out but missing a workout or two won’t hurt – you see the results regardless.

I would highly recommend trying this diet  – at least 2 days of the Attack phase, followed by trying the Cruise phase for two weeks and see how you’re feeling.  So far, I haven’t met a person who hates it.

Many of you who read this post already know your way around London (I’m sure of it).  But if not, don’t be embarrassed because the last time I was here, I was 20.  Thus, the ginormous amount of preparation that went into the logistics of transportation took a lot of time, mainly because the fact remains that my boyfriend and I were heading to a foreign country, in which maps and directions are helpful, but walking around with them is so not chic

Getting from Heathrow to anywhere in Central London

There are many, many options to get anywhere but I looked at comfort vs. price vs. fastest way to our hotel.  After all, it was after midnight (UK time) when we arrived.  I found that our best option was to purchase  “Return tickets” on Heathrow Express (68 pounds for two people + FREE WI-FI!).  In 15 minutes, you get from Heathrow to Paddington Station (cue Sherlock Holmes and as a side note, there is a hotel called Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes).  (For architecture buffs, once you get past all of the trains, the station itself is so beautiful.  It’s what you come to expect from an old train station.)

Inside of Heathrow Express - it's so futuristic looking and so nice!

Once we got to the station, we could have taken the Underground (tube) but it seems this place comes alive almost every night, which means big suitcases, plus two tired travelers, equals an unpleasant experience.  So, we took a taxi.  If you are heading to Victoria, it’s a little under 17 pounds.  (Hint: If you took a taxi from Heathrow to Victoria and then back again, it would have been 77 pounds each way so, so far, we spent 85 pounds total.)

The ride there was sort of surreal.  So many beautiful mansions in the middle of the town, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Aston Martin and Bentley dealerships with store front displays, as though you might be walking by a clothing boutique; a ton of chic restaurants, a ton of chic, upscale people walking around town (many of them in Louboutins), walking  from bar to bar; and hotels with people dressed in tuxes, pouring out of them.  THEN there were the store fronts for Christian Dior, Lanvin and the list goes on… for MILES.  It’s the sort of upscale life most dream to live and few are privileged to, and I sat in that Taxi with huge eyes and a huge grin, so excited to be here.

When we got to our hotel (Park Plaza Victoria), we were met with a very chic lobby… and a bar that was open until 2am.  Since we were just shy of 1am, we decided to have a drink before grabbing some dinner (note: EVERYTHING is open late!).  Given the time difference, we didn’t fall asleep until 3:30am.

Using the Tube… for Work

Yeah… anyone in DC, or any area with a subway system of sorts, is rolling their eyes at me right now.  Well, I work from home and even when I didn’t I was always lucky enough to work outside of DC and be able to drive.  (Writers’ note: I would rather drive and be able to listen to music in my own car, than be packed into a hot, crowded metro any day!)  SO, when the time came for me to use the tube to get to Oxford Circus, I was a little freaked out.  It’s a different process here.  They have these brilliant things called Oyster Cards (much like SmartTrip cards) but if you aren’t staying for a long length of time, or won’t be using it that much, you have to wait in line at the ticket offices to get your fare card.  What makes it easy: You tell them where you are going and if you are returning and they give you the amount – no guessing.  But what fascinates me… the SPEED at which people get to the trains.  In DC, you get mowed over from time to time and in some cases, you get a quick apology.  Here, it’s every man for him/herself.  People always seem to be in a bigger hurry to get in and out of the tube than any other transit system I’ve seen, so far, in the world.  Still, I made it and was quite proud of myself for the self-navigation

Oxford Circus – Better than Georgetown Shopping

Oxford Circus has one long road, called Oxford Rd. that stretches for miles.  Imagine my delight when I get off the tube and see Zara, Uniqlo, Top Shop, H&M, and the list goes on (both Pippa and Kate have been seen around there, shopping).  It’s also lined with little cafes and a Starbucks every third block.  It’s brilliant.  What’s interesting – the fashion style changes from town to town.  The people were less well-dressed and more “punkish” but the closer you got to where my office was, it was definitely more business attire.  What was also interesting – no one wears sunglasses – ever.  I commented on this to one of my co-workers – I wear them outside all the time (okay, I’m obsessed with not having eye wrinkles but still).

So anyway… I’m walking down Great Titchfield to get to the office and there it is on the corner – a big, shiny boutique named Reiss.  Yes, the frenzy that Princess Kate caused with her love of this boutique, is now staring me right in the face.  Unluckily (but not for my credit card), I was late to work and needed to keep moving (I do have to come back tomorrow).

Celebrity Run-ins

By lunch, I’m so excited to be working in a different office, with a team I never get to see so imagine my immense excitement when our office location is explained to me.  It’s located in what is called “Media Village“.  This area is named for all of the radio stations and TV stations in the area – including BBC.  I was told that celebrities are constantly coming in and out of this one building, as we are on our way to lunch (which by the way, The Villandry is a GREAT place for lunch!).  No sooner was this shared, than we round the corner and there are a pack of photogs waiting to snap the celebrity coming out.  After doing some digging online, I found out it was Rihanna!!!    Honestly, if I lived here, this is how I’d spend my lunch everyday – waiting to see who arrived/left.

Nightlife

As I’m leaving work for the day (it’s a little after 5pm), every few yards there is another pub, restaurant or other establishment, that serves alcohol, with people spilling out to the curb.  People absolutely, 100%, love their happy hours.  According to my coworker, the nicer the weather gets, the more people you will see out and about.  Maybe it’s because London is bigger, but I’ve never seen so many people – it puts DC to shame.

When I arrived back at the hotel, my boyfriend and I decided to head to Brown’s Bar and Brasserie.  It’s located next to the most magnificent Microsoft Building (at Cardinal Place)  I’ve ever seen and underneath this glass overhang that houses so many different restaurants and shops.

Browns, like many restaurants in DC, is an upscale place, known for its  international beer/cider collection and its really great British food.   It was here I had, what I’d consider, the “champagne of ciders”.  It’s called Rekorderlig and it’s from Sweden – served over ice, it’s amazing.

Another great read I finished, while on my vacation to Cancun!  About Last Night at Chateau Marmont:

Brooke loved reading the dishy celebrity gossip rag Last Night. That is, until her marriage became a weekly headline.  Brooke was drawn to the soulful, enigmatic Julian Alter the very first time she heard him perform “Hallelujah” at a dark East Village dive bar.  Now five years married, Brooke balances two jobs—as a nutritionist at NYU Hospital and as a consultant to an Upper East Side girls’ school, where privilege gone wrong and disordered eating run rampant—in order to help support her husband’s dream of making it in the music world.  Things are looking up when after years of playing Manhattan clubs and toiling as an A&R intern, Julian finally gets signed by Sony.  Although no one’s promising that the album will ever hit the airwaves, Julian is still dedicated to logging in long hours at the recording studio. All that changes after Julian is asked to perform on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno—and is catapulted to stardom, literally overnight. A new designer wardrobe, a tour with Maroon 5, debuting at number four on the charts, and even a Grammy performance.  At first the newfound fame is fun—who wouldn’t want to stay at the Chateau Marmont or visit the set of one of television’s hottest shows, or be on the cover of every magazine? Yet it seems that Brooke’s sweet husband—the man who can’t handle hot showers and wears socks to bed—is increasingly absent, even on those rare nights they’re home together. When rumors about Brooke and Julian swirl in the tabloid magazines (think fabricated affairs), she begins to question the truth of her marriage and is forced to finally come to terms with what she thinks she wants—and what she actually needs.

This book starts out slow but increases in excitement as the pages go on.  It easily sweeps you up into the whirlwind life of a budding musician-turned rockstar.  I highly recommend.

Need a great, easy read that provides a TON of humor and insight into the world of TV production, while not being able to put the book down?  This would be it!

Tina Fey’s new book Bossypants is short, messy, and impossibly funny (an apt description of the comedian herself). From her humble roots growing up in Pennsylvania, to her days doing amateur improv in Chicago, to her early sketches on Saturday Night Live, Fey gives us a fascinating glimpse behind the curtain of modern comedy with equal doses of wit, candor, and self-deprecation. Some of the funniest chapters feature the differences between male and female comedy writers, her cruise ship honeymoon, and advice about breastfeeding. But the chaos of Fey’s life is best detailed when she’s dividing her efforts equally between rehearsing her Sarah Palin impression, trying to get Oprah to appear on 30 Rock, and planning her daughter’s Peter Pan-themed birthday. Bossypants gets to the heart of why Tina Fey remains universally adored: she embodies the hectic, too-many-things-to-juggle lifestyle we all have, but instead of complaining about it, she can just laugh it off.

In my quest to read a bit more this summer, I have a stack of books I made a goal to get through before the summer is over.  Included in this list: Matchbook: The Diary of a Modern-Day Matchmaker by Samantha Daniels.

I am one of those that has a hard time getting into a book at first and when it’s good, I tend to have a hard time putting it down.  This was one of those books.

This book is a real-life story about a real-life lawyer-turned-matchmaker in NY who falls into the matchmaking business on a whim.  She was known for her parties, where she would naturally introduce those that would look like a good match.  After much coaxing through her friends and family, she slowly made this business legit and is now considered one of the most successful matchmakers in NY.

Her book takes you through her early stages of the business, how it flourished on happenstance through one media interview and ultimately, some of her more “colorful” clients that are all too common in NY.  In parallel, she walks you through some of her own dating tales.

All – in- all, almost anyone can relate to this book in some way and if at all, everyone can learn a thing or two about dating.

There was a time in this nation when, for African-Americans, racial barriers existed for everything from marriage to bathrooms. When it was less deadly to be seen and not heard – a time when friendships between women of two races simply didn’t happen, especially if one of those women was your maid.

First-time author Kathryn Stockett writes about the struggles of African-American maids in the 1960s and the women they worked for in the novel The Help. Set in the segregated and volatile town of Jackson, Mississippi, The Help focuses on three women. The first is Aibileen, an African-American woman who has worked for white families for more than 20 years with a special love of raising children. The second is Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan, a white woman recently graduated from college who wants to be a writer. Third is Minny, Aibileen’s best friend, who has a reputation for back-talking to her employers and for being the best cook in town, especially for her pies.

When Skeeter returns from college she sets out to write a “meaningful” book and enlists the help of Aibileen and Minny to gather stories from the black maids in Jackson about what it’s like to work for white families. Between the efforts to convince other maids to participate, cover their tracks to keep their book a secret and the challenges of working and living their lives, the three women develop a deep respect and appreciation for one another.

Written from the perspective of all three women, Stockett did a wonderful job of creating three distinct voices for the chapters. It is obvious by the word choice and tone which woman is speaking, even if the chapters were not named. Despite its theme, The Help is not preachy or self-righteous but rather an interesting glimpse into the past, into a time that most of us, thankfully, have never experienced.

In addition to racism, the book also touches on sexism and classism as the main characters and the women around them deal with being “the weaker sex” and the struggles that come from being considered “white trash” or a “society lady.”

Overall, The Help is an uplifting read about friendship, overcoming prejudice and loving oneself. But don’t take my word for it.

I recommend you read it before the movie comes out.

So far, out of all the books I’ve read, this one happens to be my favorite, as it combines three things: an air of mystery, history in Europe (particularly the turn-of-the-century in London) and an amazing story of the course of someone’s life.

The Forgotten Garden, by Kate Morton, according to the Simon and Schuster site, “A tiny girl is abandoned on a ship headed for Australia in 1913. She arrives completely alone with nothing but a small suitcase containing a few clothes and a single book—a beautiful volume of fairy tales. She is taken in by the dockmaster and his wife and raised as their own. On her twenty-fi rst birthday, they tell her the truth, and with her sense of self shattered and very little to go on, “Nell” sets out to trace her real identity. Her quest leads her to Blackhurst Manor on the Cornish coast and the secrets of the doomed Mountrachet family. But it is not until her granddaughter, Cassandra, takes up the search after Nell’s death that all the pieces of the puzzle are assembled. A spellbinding tale of mystery and self-discovery, The Forgotten Garden will take hold of your imagination and never let go.”

What’s not included in this description is how the story is told from three different periods in time: 1898-1913, 1975 and 2005. When Cassandra began her search,  she found out that she inherited a cottage on the border of the Mountrachet family property that the locals say is cursed.  With the locals’ help, she’s able to piece together her grandmother’s history, which includes understanding who her real mother is – that tale alone is dark and gloomy.  In the process, she finds a hidden garden that those who have entered, say it’s the most magical place they have ever been.  It left me, not just wanting to move to the English countryside, but also to own a garden such as this.

I was unable to put this book down and I’m sad that it has ended.  I highly recommend it.

From Nancy Drew, to Agatha Christie, to the Stephanie Plum series, I’ve always loved a good mystery book.

A few weeks ago, my boyfriend suggested I begin reading the Coffee House Mystery Series by Cleo Coyle.  I sometimes protest at a new mystery series, as I feel they require thought and strategy, not just an outlet to escape for a while.  However, once I picked this up, it was hard to put down.

The site gives a great synopsis of the book:

Ten years ago, Clare Cosi left an unhappy marriage along with a job she loved: managing the historic Village Blend coffeehouse in New York’s Greenwich Village. For a decade, she was happy raising her daughter in the quiet suburbs of New Jersey; but now that Joy is grown and gone, life has gotten way too quiet for Clare.

With a little cajoling from Madame, the Blend’s flamboyant, elderly owner (not to mention a persuasive pot of Jamaica Blue Mountain), Clare agrees to return to her old job—and right from the start she gets one heck of a jolt.

On her first morning back as Village Blend manager, Clare unlocks the front door to find her beautiful, young assistant manager, Anabelle Hart, unconscious in the back of the store, coffee grounds strewn everywhere.

As Anabelle is rushed to the hospital, police arrive to investigate, but Detective Mike Quinn finds no sign of forced entry or foul play, and he deems it an accident. Clare disagrees; and after Quinn leaves, there are a few questions she just can’t get out of her mind, like why was the trash bin in the wrong place? If this wasn’t an accident, are her other baristas in danger? And are all NYPD detectives this attractive?

What’s missing out of this description: Matteo – her ex-husband and the steamy romantic undertones, brought throughout the book.  I’m definitely excited to read the next one!

I, just like most women, love light-hearted books that include topics, such as romance, shopping, fashion, traveling with handsome men and the like.  Interestingly enough, when I read these types of books, they have always been penned by a British author.  Fabulously Fashionable, by Holly McQueen, falls in line with all of this… with one drawback… 3/4 of the book made me cringe.

The main character in this book is Isabel Bookbinder – an aspiring fashion designer/magazine PA/celebrated personality.  She is described as the black sheep in the family, in that she is always lying to everyone about her accomplishments, in order to fit in with the rest of the family (her mother thinks she does drugs and her dad believes she is an underachiever).  She’s dating a wealthy lawyer, living with him in London, but seems to be dreadfully bored and almost whiny, especially when commenting on how she is a self-proclaimed feminist and they “work” not play tennis.

These “fashionable” aspirations of hers are grand in theory but her methods of attempting to achieve these, spark an emotion of embarrassment out of the reader.  In addition, the “miscommunication” she had with her boyfriend, while he was on a work trip, made it even more difficult to get through the story line.

About 3/4 of the way through the book it becomes less painful, as she miraculously gets a job that lands her where she dreamed to be and a love affair that many women in DC could probably relate to.

Overall, I’d give this book about 3 out of 5 stars as it did the very thing a book is supposed to do – spark emotion (mine just happened to be a lot of eye rolling and mental yelling, to the tune of, “GET OVER IT ALREADY!!!”)

One of my favorite activities in the entire world is reading for pleasure.  It’s something I never get to do and welcome the opportunity when I can.

While trying to look for new work, I’ve taken up the activity again.  Thanks to my wonderfully amazing boyfriend, I’ve now got several books on his borrowed Kindle to read (and have spent more time pouring over books at Barnes & Noble, than a kid drooling over candy in a candy store).

This week’s book, entitled, “The Mating Rituals of the North American WASP” by Lauren Lipton, does what a book should do: spark emotion that wants you to throw it up in the air and yell to the characters, “What is wrong with you people?! Don’t you see?!”

Plot summary: Peggy (and her best friend Bex) own a small cleaning supply store in New York and has a documentary-producing boyfriend who is afraid to commit. She goes off to Las Vegas for a bachelorette party and wakes up in a strange man (Luke)’s bed and finds out she got married to him the night before.   Luke is a WASP from New Nineveh, CT with a family name to uphold (which dated back from the 1600′s).

When Peggy drives up to New Nineveh to get the marriage annulled,  Luke’s Great Aunt refuses to let this happen.  She tells the couple they are to stay married one year (seeing each other only on weekends, since Peggy had a store to run) and if they then choose to end the marriage at that time, they can sell the family house (a sprawling mansion that is falling apart) and split the money.  They agree to the arrangement.

The book outlines the major events of the next year and how Peggy and Luke struggled to keep how they married a secret from the town of New Nineveh, how Peggy struggled to fit in as a WASP, as well as how to  keep her own love life together without telling her on again/off again boyfriend she was already married; and ultimately, how the two struggled, separately, to keep themselves from coming out with their true feelings for one another.

I love that the book left no questions unanswered at the end, that it used both literal and figurative poetry to round out the story, and that it was able to marry a modern day love story with a classic romance novel.  Definitely a must-read!