Category Archives: Products

My First Massage – and One for You!

Unfortunately my host is under a bot attack that is targeting WordPress sites, so the blog has been down off and on since yesterday afternoon. I hope it gets resolved soon! In case you missed yesterday’s post about a paella cooking class I attended at my favorite restaurant for events, Barcelona in West Hartford, be sure to do so to learn about paella, pick up some cooking tips, and check out photos of both commonly and unusually delicious foods!

Despite my self-proclaimed addiction to daily deal sites, where  discounted massages are available on the reg, I have never had a massage! That is until I was contacted by Randi Plake, on behalf of Kellie Dunne and Brilliant Options Wellness in Plantsville, CT. Kellie is a Licensed Massage Therapist, as well as a Certified Health Coach and Occupational Therapist.

The radiant Kellie! (Source)

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On a Snacky Quest!

One of my favorite parts of being a Fitfluential Ambassador is – not gonna lie – getting the chance to participate in product review campaigns! I enjoy receiving fitness gear or healthy eats in the mail as much as the next girl, so I jumped all over this Quest Nutrition campaign and embarked on a Quest to try the super-generous variety and amount of protein-packed tastes they sent my way.

To be honest – Quest’s branding at first was a bit of a turn-off to me. I am not a user of protein powders or supplements and a visit to their website gave me a GNC/Vitamin Shoppe vibe. But I’d already heard a ton of positive reactions to Quest bars from some of my favorite bloggers, so I certainly wanted to try them for myself.

#allthebars

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Fashion Friday: HealthyChic Giveaway!

Happy Fashion Friday (but more importantly Happy Friday) to you all! I did not do this post last week in light of the manhunt going on in Boston. I felt inappropriate blogging given the fact that all eyes that day were turned to other more important media sources on the Internet. Of course this post could wait a week, and it has, and now here it is! I’ll stop rambling and cut to the chase.

What’s HealthyChic?

Marni of HealthyChic contacted me awhile back to introduce me to the website, which I would call RueLaLa for fitness! Some websites claim to offer deals from premium brands – and then customers never see those premium brands come around. But I myself have seen Lululemon and Lucy activewear offered on HealthyChic, at QUITE the discount. Alas, I saw too late and my favorite pieces already were sold out in my size. But HealthyChic doesn’t just offer active wear – I died over these adorable Yummy Yogi cookie cutters!

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Taste of Wethersfield 2013

When spring hits (I’m not saying when the weather gets warmer because it barely has been, OK I already got in my weather complaint for the day) my event schedule REALLY starts filling up! Last week I recapped the 4/11 Taste of the Nation Hartford, and a few days later on Saturday night 4/13 I was at the Keeney Memorial Center in Wethersfield, CT for the 8th Annual Taste of Wethersfield!

HIGH FIVE! Great event!

HIGH FIVE! Great event!

I had a great time at this event last year and am thankful that this year, I was asked back by the Wethersfield Historical Society itself! I took my usual foodie partner-in-crime Rachel – who happens to be the namer of my blog. I am forever in her debt!

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Judging Crazy Concoctions at CHS Cookoff

I can’t wait to attend Taste of the Nation Hartford tonight with my blends Kaitlin & Kelly! You can still get tickets at the door – general admission is $75, but I’ve been to this event before and it is WORTH IT. Best food tasting event I’ve ever experienced!

I’m so excited to share my experience judging the Connecticut Historical Society‘s first Community Cookoff! Held last Friday from 5:30-7:30pm (nice and early!), the event attracted a good crowd and had the work day craaaaawling by as I anxiously waited for the clock to hit 5 so I could hit the road for Hartford.

I wore my latest splurge – a Lilly Pulitzer top that I got on sale in FL – for such an important event! Little did I know Lilly herself would pass away in a couple of days.

I walked into CHS and was greeted by the smiling, excited faces of Jenny Steadman and Ed Main. They are the ones who came up with this idea, included me, and even planned the event’s timing around my vacation schedule. I couldn’t have felt any more special thanks to them!

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Fashion Friday: Lendperk Giveaway!

I may attend a lot of events, but most do not require a nice dress. That does not stop me from buying dresses…even though I live in New England, where spring still has yet to…spring. Anyway, I always have a “stockpile” of dresses I’ve worn a few times that I can bust out for an upcoming fancier event, and that’s just what I planned to do for the wedding I attended on March 23rd…until Star Li, CEO and Founder of Lendperk, came along.

The dress I selected - by BCBG!

The dress I selected for the wedding – by BCBG MAXAZRIA!

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A (Green) Giant Surprise!


The brand Green Giant probably brings to mind frozen and canned veggies – at least, that’s what it does for me. That jolly green guy definitely had a presence in my household’s freezer and pantry while I was growing up.

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But I never associated Green Giant with snacks…until now. The brand now offers two types of veggie chips:

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Fashion Friday: Westport Buys

As promised today’s Fashion Friday is going to be about my finds in Westport when Kaitlin of For Love of Carrots took me there during my most recent 203 visit! We visited the outdoor shopping area in the town’s center and it was an adorable place with some incredible sales! Perfect for a cheapo like me.

3-10-13-shopping1

$10 scarf, $20 purse, $10 shoes.

Sometimes I have no success at the Urban Outfitters sale section and sometimes I come out loaded with ten new tops. This trip produced a happy medium! The scarf is such a pretty spring color. I’m loving my new purse (I needed a change) and I’ve already rocked the shoes this week!

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XTrain With Cathe Friedrich

Thanks for your feedback on yesterday’s review post for my February Ellie outfit! Remember you can get 20% off your first order by clicking here.

Firstly, Cathe is the new Kathy. Seriously, I just LOVE the spelling of that name. I had to get that out; I love when classic names are spelled uniquely (for example I know a Karan and a Carin…sorry to all Karens, but they win).

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I’m a self-proclaimed gym rat, but I’m also armed with an arsenal of home workout DVDs that come in handy for those situations when I can’t get there because I don’t have time or am buried under over a foot of snow. Unfortunately since I live in Connecticut, that latter situation presented itself to me this past Friday when the five-or-so inches of snow we expected turned into a blizzard that kept me off the roads. Pro: no work! Con: can’t get to the gym! Enter the Cathe Friedrich XTrain Workout Series. As usual I’m going to be a Wordy Wendy in this review, but you can scroll to the bottom of this post if you’re in a rush and just need the bottom line version!

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Meeting Ellie and She3

This past weekend while visiting Kaitlin of For Love of Carrots, I gave my first ever Ellie outfit (click to get 20% off your first order) from their February collection a test-run during a barre class at She3 Wellness & Fitness Boutique in Fairfield, CT. To say Ellie (formerly pvBody) is a controversial company in the blog world right now would be an understatement. However, my experience has been mostly positive with both pvBody AND Ellie, so this review will reflect that, just as my pvBody review did.

Got those TOMS on SALE at Urban Outfitters in Boston! Yes, it’s possible to find them on sale!

I’m also excited to share my experience with the She3 barre class called the She3 Fit Method. I’ve done a couple barre classes at Physique57 and was excited to do barre again for the first time in awhile. Kaitlin was completely new to barre and we both appreciated a chance to try a new workout that while not necessarily our “typical” intense HIIT or heavy lifting, would still put us out of our comfort zones and test our strength!

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Welcome!

I’m Caitlin, a 24 year old full-time working girl and recent MBA graduate. I’m a total foodie and love restaurants. I also love learning about nutrition and fitness. I’m striving to live a healthy and happy lifestyle and will be documenting everything that comes with it in this blog. I hope you enjoy!

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2013 Reading Challenge

2013 Reading Challenge
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Golden Heart Winner 2012!


Design Credit

My header was originally designed by Mai Le and later tweaked by Chris Roggi to match this theme, which he helped me customize. He also moved me over to self-hosting! Both can be contacted through their sites for design & development work!

Disclaimer

I am not an RD and do not have any official training, certifications, or degrees in nutrition or fitness. This blog is a way to write about my life. Any views I express are mine alone, based on what works for me, and should never be taken as medical advice. Always talk to your doctor or a trained professional before starting a new diet or fitness plan. In addition, this blog and its content are in no way affiliated with Kate Gosselin, “Kate Plus 8″, TLC, or any related affiliates.

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