Just J.Faye

Hiking & Other Adventures

Exploring Denver, Colorado

by

Denver. The Mile-High City. The Queen City of the West. Broncoville. D-Town.

Exploring Denver, Colorado I just got back from a long weekend in Denver. I have heard over and over again how awesome the city is, so my friends and I decided to check it out to see what all the hype is about. It did not at all disappoint.

We did some sightseeing, beer tasting, exploring, and hiking. It was the perfect mix of vacation activities. We pretty much followed all of these healthy vacation tips without really even trying.

I wanted to share all the highlights with you! Here they are:

City Running Tours

Exploring Denver, Colorado Since I now manage Minneapolis City Running Tours (PS- did I tell you I manage CRT in Minneapolis now?! Check out my bio here and the Minneapolis group runs here! Then sign up for one!) I wanted to check it out in Denver. Luckily my friends, who aren’t runners, were willing to do it with me (they are so great). We did the Downtown Denver Highlights group tour, which was led by Lee, the Denver CRT Manager.

We met at the REI flagship store on Friday and 9:00am. It was a perfect morning for a run: 50 degrees and sunny. Lee led us around Denver showing us Confluence Park, the Cherry Creek Greenway, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Civic Center Park, the State Capitol Building, 16th Street Pedestrian Mall, Daniels & Fisher Tower, Larimer Square, Union Station, and many more!

During the run we learned all about the history of Denver, like how it started as three separate towns that eventually formed into one. Lee also added in some other interesting facts, like how the artist who created the mustang statue at the airport (known to some as “Bluecifer” or “Devil Horse”) was killed when a portion of the statue fell on him. Who knew?!

We took some pictures at sights along the 4-mile run and ended back at REI where we started. I am so happy that we did the running tour! My non-runner friends even enjoyed it and were happy they signed up. City Running Tours is such a great way to see a city and learn about its history and culture, all while fitting in some exercise. It was super fun to experience a tour from a participant perspective, rather than a guide perspective. If you ever travel to Denver, Minneapolis, or any of the 14 other CRT locations I would definitely recommend checking it out!

Brunch at Snooze

After our morning run we decided to treat ourselves to a bomb brunch. The friends that we were staying with recommended a place called Snooze, which was just a few blocks away from their apartment.

This place. Delicious. The line was out the door when we got there on Friday at 10:30 (what do all these people do?! They can’t all be tourists?). The 45-minute wait gave us just enough time to go back to my friends’ place to shower and get ready for the day. We were back at the restaurant just in time for our table to be ready. Perfect.

Our waitress, who was awesome and oddly enough had some ties to Minnesota, greeted us with a sweet potato pancake to start (on the house!). It was phenomenal. The sweet potato, the spices, the homemade caramel, the pecans, the ginger butter – all amazing. We devoured it in about 2.5 seconds and I am surprised it even lasted that long.

After our brunch appetizer we ordered a round of mimosas and different varieties of eggs benedict. I had the Late Harvest Benny, which was “sweet potato polenta cake topped with griddled sweet potato, fennel, and kale hash and served with poached cage-free eggs, cream cheese hollandaise, and toasted bread crumbs.” Oh so good. I have never seen such perfectly poached eggs.

Everything was ridiculously delicious and we were all definitely satisfied. The only unfortunate part is that I forgot to take pictures.

A Trip to Boulder

Exploring Denver, Colorado On Friday afternoon after our fantastic brunch we decided to go check out Boulder, which is about a 45-minute drive from Denver toward the mountains. Oh my goodness, this city is gorgeous. All of us were ooh-ing and ahh-ing out the window as we were driving into it.

We started at Chautauqua Park and walked along one of the Flatiron trails. We weren’t properly dressed (skinny jeans, sweaters, and flats are not ideal for hiking), so we didn’t go for very long. However, we definitely walked long enough to drink in a lot of beautiful views (and a lot of very thin air – elevation, yikes).

From Chautauqua Park we went and strolled around Pearl Street. Loved it. Pearl Street is a pedestrian mall with many adorable shops and restaurants. There were tons of people out and about, checking out the stores and the many different street performers.

We stopped at West End Tavern to sit, chat, and enjoy a beer outside then mosied over to Tahona Tequila Bistro for some margaritas and appetizers. We jokingly researched some houses for sale/rent. Definitely out of our price range…

Red Rocks Amphitheatre & Lookout Mountain

Exploring Denver, Colorado

Exploring Denver, Colorado On Saturday afternoon we wandered out to Red Rocks Amphitheatre to do some more hiking and exploring. I added “see a concert at Red Rocks” to my bucket list. The theater is just so beautiful and the views are absolutely gorgeous.

There were a bunch of exercise groups running up and down the steps, which I’ve heard is awesome to do when the sun is rising. My friends and I weren’t really in the mood for that type of activity and instead we went on Trading Post Trail. It was a 1.4-mile walking path that looped around the rock formations. The majority of the trail was flat, but had some inclines/declines/steps along the way. It wasn’t anything too strenuous, but we were glad that we were all wearing tennis shoes this time. There was also a 6-mile hike option, but I guess I’ll save that one for next time.

We planned on checking out the Coors Brewery Tour (recommended to us by one of our Uber drivers), but didn’t realize that they closed at 4:00, which is the exact time we pulled up to the entrance. Oops. I guess I’ll save this one for next time too.

We then drove up to Lookout Mountain and took in some more beautiful scenery. We also took a pretty epic panoramic picture (that we took ourselves, thank you very much).

Other Fun Things

Exploring Denver, Colorado So those were the primary highlights, but we there were lots of other fun and silly things too:

  • Getting manicures at Aveda Institute and then running into a friend from high school in the lobby as we were about to leave. Hutchinson people are everywhere. It is unreal.
  • Sitting outside at CRU in Larimer Square while enjoying a half-priced bottle of bubbly. FYI, a bottle of bubbly is the most perfect way to start a vacation.
  • Enjoying the most delicious breakfast sandwich at Salt & Grinder in the Highland area.
  • Watching the Gopher’s Homecoming football game with other University of Minnesota alumni. Side note: It was my 5-year college reunion. Where has time gone?!
  • Checking out local breweries, like Wynkoop and River North.
  • Seeing and hanging out with so many friends (old and new) from different areas of my life.

I absolutely loved the city of Denver and had such a blast there. It felt surprisingly similar to Minneapolis, but with mountains and better weather. I will definitely be going back!

Have you ever been to Denver? What did you see and do there? I’ll need some more tips for next time!

Share this:

5 Healthy Vacation Tips

by

Vacations. They are amazing. A time to get away, relax, and just be.

However, it’s not rare to come back from vacations a little bit heavier (and I’m not just talking about your luggage). A new atmosphere, no routine, frequently eating out, lots of wine and indulgences… I’ve been there. There’s no reason you can’t maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle while traveling. It’s all about balance, moving, and drinking lots of water.

Below are 5 tips I compiled for staying healthy and active on vacation!

5 healthy vacation tips 1. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! I cannot stress this one enough. Sometimes when I’m out of my normal routine it’s easy for me to forget to drink water. Bad. Drinking plenty of water is so, so important – everyday, whether on vacation or not. While traveling you are probably in an environment that your body isn’t used to. Drinking plenty of water will help keep you regulated and hydrated. I always carry a water bottle with me and try to refill it multiple times throughout the day. This is especially important when traveling to a hot weather climate where sweating is a common occurrence, also known as “perma-sweat”.

It is a bit trickier when it’s not safe to drink the local tap water, but spending the extra money on purchasing bottled water will be worth it. I recommend buying gallon sized (or larger) water jugs. This much water is necessary and more cost-effective. You can store it in your room and fill up your water bottle whenever you need to! You don’t want to be zapped of energy on vacation simply because you’re dehydrated. Chug that water!

2. Eat breakfast! Eating breakfast is another super important everyday thing, regardless of being on vacation or not. As you have probably heard by now breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It helps fuel your body for all the exploring and activity you’ll be doing… or relaxing, it’ll help fuel your body for that too. Not only should you make sure to eat breakfast, but you also need to make sure to eat a good breakfast. And by good I mean healthy with a mix of protein, carbs, and healthy fats. A good breakfast can be easy or difficult to come by depending on where you are staying and what is available to you; however, you can always get a healthy breakfast in with some proper planning. Here are some of my recommendations:

  • If you are staying at a hotel with a breakfast buffet (lucky you) try to avoid the sugary pastries and waffles. They are over-processed and you’ll probably get a sugar spike and then hit a wall a few hours later. Plus, save your sugar consumption for an afternoon treat at a local bakery. Instead go for oatmeal and a hard-boiled egg, fruit and yogurt, or peanut butter and toast. These options will help keep you satiated and energized!
  • If you are staying at a hostel or someplace that doesn’t have a kitchen, grab some fruit and granola bars at a nearby grocery store so that you don’t have to eat out for breakfast every morning (if you don’t want to). These items can also serve as a great mid-day snack while you are out and about in between meals!
  • If you are staying in a condo/hotel with access to a kitchen, you can stock on up your regular breakfast foods. Fruit, granola, yogurt, eggs, toast – you can pretty much do whatever you want here!
  • If you are going out for breakfast, you may as well try the customary local breakfast. In Costa Rica it was rice, beans, eggs, plantains, and good strong coffee – it doesn’t get much better than that!

3. Walk everywhere! Walking is one of the simplest and most enjoyable exercises. Regular brisk walking (~30 minutes per day, 5 days per week) can help reduce the risk of heart disease, improve blood pressure and cholesterol, and boost your mood. Also, brisk walking falls within the “fat burning zone”, so you can be burning lots of fat calories while you are sightseeing: multi-tasking!

Walking is my personal favorite mode of transportation. If I want to get from A to B (assuming that A and B are only a few miles apart), my default is walking. It is also such a great method to explore a city. My friend and I once walked 5 miles to check out a local market, which then stretched on for at least another mile or so. We passed by gorgeous parks and little boutiques along the way and were able to see different parts of the city that we wouldn’t have discovered if we had taken a cab. So the next time you are on vacation and want to go to a museum or restaurant, plan a nice walking route that will help you hit other sites along the way.

Not only is walking great for your body, but it is also super cost-effective – as in, it is free! Why pay for a cab or public transportation when you can walk? I’m looking at you, budget traveller.

If you feel like picking up the pace a little bit, go on a sight-seeing run. You can fit in more miles and sights in less time, while also burning more calories! To find a good running route check out MapMyRun, ask your hotel concierge, or consult blogs. You can also do a City Running Tour (shameless plug) for a guided city run!

Please be safe. No running/walking alone at night or down creepy alleys. Also, make sure to bring water (see tip #1)!

4. Do active sightseeing! I love my vacations to have the right mix of activity and relaxing, about 50/50. Long afternoons at the beach are amazing, but it’s not something that I can do day after day after day; I need some activity. Besides walking or running, there are so many other things to try while on vacation. In Costa Rica we went surfing, zip-lining, and hiking. In Mendoza we rode bikes (between vineyards). In San Juan we kayaked and hiked. In Rio we… danced. Dancing is an activity. The fun just goes on and on!

5. Balance healthy choices with indulgent ones! It is my personal philosophy that indulgences are healthy, especially while on vacation. If you are spending the time and money to travel somewhere you better make it worth it! Go to France and not eat a crepe: blasphemous. Make it to Brazil and not drink a caipirinha: it’s illegal. Travel to Italy and not eat pasta: why even go? Savor all of the amazing, local experiences and balance them with other healthy choices.

It’s hard enough to make healthy choices 100% of the time while at home in your normal routine, let alone on vacation. It’s ok that you didn’t run 30 miles that week and it’s ok that you had wine and dessert most days. Stressing about these things is not going to help. Stress does your body no good. It sheds years off of your life and adds pounds to your frame.

Relax. Be active. Be healthy. Be balanced. Be on vacation. After all, #YOLO.

Share this:

Plantain Chips

by

I’m backkkkkk from Costa Rica. And within approximately 12 hours of landing in Minneapolis I had a batch of homemade plantain chips in the oven.

plantain chips Why? BECAUSE THEY ARE SO GOOD. And I missed them. And they are super easy to make.

plantain chips Plantain chips were our snack of choice in Costa Rica. You know, something to tie us over when hunger struck at the beach or during our 20 minute drive home from the grocery store. I wouldn’t say we were obsessed, but I’m pretty positive we bought at least one bag every time we stopped at the grocery store, which was approximately every 2-3 days. However, they were small bags. Sometimes we shared with each other, but sometimes we just bought our own.

I love going to grocery stores when I travel. It’s like a whole new world of brands and snacks. I thoroughly enjoy them here in Minnesota too, but international grocery shopping is just way more interesting. Plus, if I’m at an international grocery store it means I’m travelling somewhere, which is just fun in general.

plantain chips I’ve always enjoyed plantains, but I fell in love with them in Puerto Rico (Mofongo? So delicious). However, I never buy or cook plantains back in Minnesota. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess. This may need to change (and basically already has), because Costa Rica reignited my love.

After getting back home (where my refrigerator was completely empty apart from condiments) I needed to make a desperate trip to the grocery store. I bought plantains for the first time ever. Then I made some plantain chips and chowed down on them while I pretended I was back in Costa Rica.

plantain chips Plantains look like bananas, just like you may look like one of your siblings. Similar, but different.I purchased the sweeter yellow variety, but if you prefer the savory side of things, go for the greener ones.

They are so simple to make. Just toss some plantain slices with melted coconut oil, layer them on a baking sheet, and put them in the oven.

plantain chips The difficult part is trying to resist eating them all instantly. However, they do taste best same day because they lose some of the crispiness factor overnight. So don’t resist too hard, I guess.

I think these would be really good with some additional seasonings sprinkled on too. Maybe some cinnamon or chili powder? I’m going to that next time. Because there will be a next time. A lot of next times.

As a bonus, plantains are great sources of fiber, beta-carotene, calcium, and vitamin c, sooooo… eat up!

Plantain Chips
 
Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
These are inspired by my recent trip to Costa Rica. A crunchy, little bit sweet, little bit savory treat. They are best eaten the day of, so snack away!
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients
  • 2 plantains
  • 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Slice plantains, no more than ¼-inch thick.
  3. Add plantain slices and coconut oil in a bowl. Stir until all the slices are completely covered.
  4. Spread plantains on a baking sheet.
  5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, flip the slices, and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes or until you reach your desired crunchiness.
Notes
I used sweet plantains, but go for the green ones for more of a savory taste!

One day when I get my life in order I will talk more about Costa Rica (side note: IT WAS AMAZINGGG!!!!) and post some pictures. But until that day comes I hope you make a batch of these and pretend you are on a beautiful beach.

plantain chips

Share this:

My Bags Are Packed….

by

My bags are packed and I’m ready to go…

passport …to Costa Rica!

I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT WAIT. It will be 10 days of relaxation, adventure, and silliness. I.am.soooooo.ready.

Because of this, I will probably not be blogging for 2-ish weeks. Maybe I will find the time, desire, and internet connection to do so? But we shall see.

Pura vida! It’s the Costa Rican way. I am just going to go with the flow and be on vacation and live happily.

I’m sure I will be posting a lot on Instagram though, so feel free to follow me there (@justjfaye)!

Until next time…. xo

Share this:

Being Sick Is The Worst. Traveling Is The Best.

by

I’ve basically been unable to leave my couch or bed since Sunday night at 7:00pm. So I obviously haven’t been cooking or baking – I’ve barely been eating. And I clearly haven’t been running or working out. It was a huge feat for me to take the elevator a few floors down to get the vending machines to buy some Powerade earlier today.

Being sick is pretty much the worst. But being sick while it’s 80 degrees? That is pretty much the absolute worst.   I’m seeing everyone’s pictures and snapchats of their fun outdoor activities. I mean I love my condo, but jeeezzzzz GET ME OUT OF HERE.

On the bright side though I’ve been catching up on a lot of movie watching. Problem Child was just on. Hello, flashback to childhood. We used to watch that movie over and over again. And before that it was Horrible Bosses. Hilarious. I’m so glad my boss is amazing. Over the past few days there was also 27 Dresses, Bad Teacher, What Happens In Vegas, Space Jam, and a few episodes of Arrested Development and Friends.

I don’t think I’ve watched this much TV in a row in at least 15 years… or ever. Of course I haven’t ever been couch-bound for 3.5 consecutive days before either. So there’s that.

Let’s face it. That wasn’t a bright side at all. TV is the worst.   BUT what is a real, actual, literal bright side is that I just booked a trip to Costa Rica. Yes, I JUST BOOKED A TRIP TO COSTA RICA.

Why? The tickets were cheap. The lodging is cheap. I’ve always wanted to go to Costa Rica. But primarily because my best friend and travel partner (we’ll call her “Natalie”… because that is her name) called me up a few hours ago and asked me if I wanted to go. Soooo… duh.

Traveling is pretty much the best. You get to eat a lot of good food (picture taken in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2013)   eat well, travel often. And aimlessly wander around. (picture taken in Jackson Hole, Wyoming 2013) let's wander for a bit And have lots of amazing adventures. (picture taken in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2013) adventure awaits So moral of the story is being sick is the worst and traveling is the best.

Share this:

a hotel workout, featuring the jump rope

by

Look what I found at the Holiday Inn in New Jersey: a hotel workout

A jump rope! Amazing, right?! So fun.

Jump ropes bring me right back to elementary school where my friends and I would jump rope to the teddy bear song during recess. Sometimes we would attempt to double-dutch. It wasn’t pretty, but it was still pretty awesome. My proudest jump rope moment occurred during my most dreaded day of the year: track and field day.

As a chubby, uncoordinated kid who was neither athletic nor competitive it was the worst. I loathed track and field day, an annual event where all the area parochial schools would gather to compete in running, jumping, and throwing events. I signed up for the fewest and easiest events possible. I couldn’t long jump, high jump, sprint, or shut put. I’d probably kill myself trying to do hurdles. But, jump rope?! Heck yeah. It was my saving grace. One year (fourth grade, perhaps?) I won third place in jump rope. THIRD PLACE. I was overjoyed!! New best day of my life! Who cares that it was a white ribbon and probably only 4 or 5 other people competed. I won a ribbon at track and field day. And that is all that matters.

Therefore, jump rope will always and forever hold a special place in my heart.

Looking back I find it hilarious that I despised track and field day so much. Now-a-days I would love to get an afternoon off from work to exercise and run around with my friends in the sun. Let’s bring these competitions to corporate America!

Man oh man, I have come a long way.

Now back to present day, where I have been in Vineland, NJ all week for work. When I am travelling for work and eating out for all my meals – side note: I had the best Philly cheese steak yesterday – a good workout is an absolute must, so hotel gyms are very important to me. Hotel breakfasts are also very important to me, but that is an entirely different blog post.

Hotel gyms can be pretty hit and miss.Sometimes they are phenomenal (the Hampton Inn in Buffalo, NY) and sometimes they are terrible (the Drury Inn in Nashville, TN). I can at least count on having a low quality treadmill and some free weights in a small, sweaty room. That is ok. I can work with that… temporarily.

The Holiday Inn in Vineland falls on the mid-to-lower end of the spectrum; however it has a jump rope – a rare hotel gym amenity – so it gets bonus points. This gym is providing me with the essentials I need to get a good workout, helping me to burn off those delicious doughnuts the Logistics Manager brought in for the team today.

I actually did have a great workout so I thought I would share it with you. Here it is: a hotel workout

A pictorial reference of the strength training circuit: a hotel workout

The great thing about this workout is that it can be modified to do without any weights or equipment. If a jump rope is not available to you, you can easily substitute that part of the workout with a combination of jumping jacks and star jumps. This can also be done pretty much anywhere:

  • Your gym – the fully loaded version or the dumpy hotel version
  • Your living room – assuming you don’t have people living below you, which is the reason I do not own a jump rope at this time
  • Your hotel room – if you don’t feel like venturing to the hotel gym to get sweaty with all the middle-aged business men
  • Outside – to enjoy a workout and some fresh spring air

I added in 15 minutes of interval running on the treadmill (2.5 minutes at 7.0 mph, ten rounds of 30 seconds at 9.0 mph + 30 seconds at 5.0 mph, 2.5 minutes at 7.0 mph) between the warm up and the circuit. Like I mentioned, I ate a delicious cheese steak and doughnut so the intervals were pretty necessary. Even without the additional running it was a great cardio workout. The combination of the exercises, minimal rest between moves, and the jump rope kept my heart rate up between zones 2 and 3 the entire time.

Feel free to ask if you have any questions about the workout. If you do it, let me know how it goes!

PS – HAPPY MAY DAY!

Share this: