The Girl and The Goat, Running, and Concessions

I had a great dinner in Chicago tonight at The Girl and The Goat.  I've blogged about it before, but it is more than worthy of another mention.  Two people who ate with us tonight had never eaten there before.  I think it is very fair to say they were BLOWN AWAY by every aspect of the dinner, from the food to the decor to the service.  There is a wait list of several months for a reason.  That reason is, simply, that it is the best new restaurant in the U.S.  I have the good fortune of eating at some absolutely spectacular restaurants and experiencing the culinary skills of some of the best chefs in the country.  Chef Stephanie Izard is up there with the best of them.  She may be young, there may not be white linen tablecloths, the waitstaff may wear t-shirts instead of shirts and ties --- but it is some of the most spectacular food that I have ever had in my entire life.  I'm not the only one saying it.  Every single person who has gone there (that I know or am aware of) says the same thing.  Stephanie Izard will win a Beard sooner rather than later.  She is such an amazing chef that I don't even care that she went to Michigan.  For me, that is saying a lot!!!!

All of this being the case, running was involved in dinner as well.  You see, I had dinner with friends and colleagues, including Gen (who I have run with and who I was to run the Chicago Marathon with).  I knew that I was going to be scolded tonight for my stupidity (yes, I said it myself, MY STUPIDITY).  I took it like an adult.  I listened.  I conceded my errors.  I promised that I was (finally) listening to my doctors, doing what I am supposed to do in terms of PT, and not rushing into anything.  They saw the boot/cast and shook their heads.  (I shake my head too when I see it; it is neither pretty nor comfortable.)  I think my friends and colleagues will say that I am not taking this lightly and that I am doing what I have to in order to get healthy, so that I can run comfortably and without injury.

The next time that I am in Chicago I will, God willing, be running again.  I'll go back to The Girl and The Goat --- hopefully with the same friends and colleagues --- and be able to discuss our runs from that day, over an amazing meal prepared by Chef Stephanie Izard, and I will be able to smile and say that I'm running because I finally listened to those around me.

PT Was Humbling and the Kansas City Curse....

I was very excited to start PT yesterday because it meant progress towards cardio.  It was such an incredibly humbling experience that I can hardly put it into words.  For 14 months I have worked so hard to develop endurance, muscles, strength, etc.  Yesterday, I was exhausted after a regimen of towel stretches, slant board stretches, towel crunches (with my toes), sitting heel raises, dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, sitting double heel raises, etc.  I didn't do much and I was exhausted.  But, I did the exercises again at home last night and this morning at home as well.  I know that it will make a difference in the end, but being able to do some cardio would be really helpful.  I am allowed to go in the pool, but only use my arms.

The permanent boot should arrive any day now, and that will make things much better.  I am hoping that will mean some walking --- even if it is slow --- because that will make me feel like I am doing something.  I am so so so so (have I mentioned so) excited to have a session with Liberdy on Monday that I can hardly contain myself.  I think getting into a routine is going to be key to my recovery.

Since having dinner at Julian in KC on Tuesday night I haven't felt so good.  Again, I hate to rag on a chef and/or restaurant because it is such hard work, but it really wasn't a stellar meal and I have been joking (well, pseudo joking) about the "curse of Celina Tio" since that time.  Come on, what have I ever done to her?  I'm now just going to call it the Kansas City Curse.  The only thing that is making me feel better is knowing that next Wednesday night I get to have dinner at The Girl and the Goat in Chicago.  I don't know that I will ever be able to praise Stephanie Izard and her culinary talent enough.  Then, a few days later I get to eat at both Bayona and Mondo and eat Susan Spicer's amazing food.  Three dinner by my two favorite chefs within days.  I'm excited.

Thank God I Start PT Tomorrow.

I'm envious of those people who can run right now.  I was in Kansas City for work and my colleague walked through the lobby after a run and I was honestly jealous; I kept telling him so all day.  PT starts tomorrow and I'm hoping for good news.  I feel good, truly.  Don't get me wrong because I am certainly sore.  But even with being sore I still feel so much better than I did before the surgery.

Traveling was certainly difficult.  Try navigating through airports, airplanes, etc, with a boot on.  Security was a pleasure (not) with the boot.  Let's just say the "pat down" at Kansas City International Airport was offensive.  Now I understand what people have been complaining about the last few months.

Even though my foot/ankle is keeping me from cardio, there is no reason I can't work on my arms and core.  I have been doing what I can.  I'm most excited that in the coming days my sessions with Liberdy will start again.  I don't know that I have ever been so excited for someone to beat the crap out of me.  Most important, though, I am looking forward to getting back into a routine.

In KC I went to dinner at Julian.  I was really looking forward to dinner there after hearing such great things about the chef.  Being a chef isn't an easy job; knowing that I try not to rag on chefs.  I have to say, though, this dinner just didn't impress me.  Maybe Chef Celina Tio had an off night?  The soup was good and it was creative, but everything else was simply adequate.  The potatoes that came with my scallops were so salty they were hardly edible.  My colleagues said the dessert was good but nothing fantastic.  I will say, though, the service was great.  In light of last night, I am really looking forward to dinner next week at The Girl and The Goal in Chicago.  Chef Stephanie Izard always impresses me.

I'm Walking (or Flying) to New Orleans

It's 6:15 a.m. and I have to be in the lobby in an hour to meet my colleagues and go to the airport.  Flying back to New Orleans --- back to the heat, humidity, and the office.  I'll be back in Chicago next Saturday for the Shamrock Shuffle, but a week in New Orleans will do me good.

I ran 6.5 miles yesterday.  It was raining and cold, so it was on a treadmill.  It was hard and my achilles started to "scream" around 5k -- but I walked for 2 minutes and then started again.  My goal was to run 7 miles, but it hurt and I bargained with myself as I was running.  I was exhausted afterwards.  I spent about 30 total minutes stretching and then iced.  I popped ibuprofen at dinner and again before bed.  I don't want to jinx myself but I actually feel fine today.  The true test will be tomorrow at the LSU Med School 5k in Audubon Park. 

I'm still VERY happy with the Adidas shoes.  I highly recommend them. 

All in all, great trip to Chicago.  Good work wise.  Ate at amazing restaurants (as an aside, go to The Girl and the Goat http://www.girlandthegoat.com/  if you are in Chicago).  Was able to run again.  Nervous about the Shamrock Shuffle next weekend in Chicago, but I will finish it even if it isn't pretty.