Yesterday's Cafe and Tea Room

I went here to report about it for my "Under $25" column in the Cincinnati Enquirer -- stay tuned for that article.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that there's more to Yesterday's than I had expected. In addition to a ladies'-who-lunch, cute tearoom with massive tea choices and scone/quiche/salad/sandwich food options, owner Susan Schultz also has a separate coffee house (the cafe), with a full array of coffee drinks, wifi, overstuffed sofa chairs -- in short, a totally different atmosphere from the tea side of the house.
There's also a gift shop and boutique, and they have special Music Nights and other evening events, as well as a nice little selection of wines that you can order by the taste, glass or bottle.
Not at all bad for downtown Florence, KY.
That's me with my friend from a previous job -- we've both moved on -- Melissa Kavanaugh.

Eating-out Strategies, Part 2

Here's more from guest blogger Alexis Bonari about eating out without falling off the healthy-foodie wagon.
Part One (last week) discussed advanced preparation for a big night out -- such as having a healthy snack before you go and planning in advance what you intend to order. She also talked about how to ask lots of questions of your server about the dishes you're considering.

Part Two (below) focuses on liquid calories and portion sizes. Info about Alexis is at the end. Thanks, Alexis!

Go with H2O

Alcohols and sodas are easy mistakes to make when you’re focusing on your meal and not on your beverage. What you drink is an important part of your diet, so don’t forget to keep an eye on what goes into your glass. Alcoholic beverages can contain more calories than you’d guess, and they can keep you from focusing on your diet by lowering your inhibitions. Sodas are full of sugars and calories, so avoid them as often as you can. If you’re absolutely averse to drinking water, you should work to overcome it because it’s an important part of maintaining a healthy diet, but an interim option is unsweetened tea.

Be a Control Freak

Keep portion control in the back of your mind at all times. Many restaurants serve oversized portions that could easily feed you for two meals, so focus on eating just enough of your meal before asking for a takeout box. To do this, chew slowly and manage the size of your bites. It may also help to engage in conversation to extend the amount of time that passes between bites, allowing you to feel full before you overeat.

Bio: Alexis Bonari is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education, researching various online degree programs. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

Salade avec saumon fume

From the (very French) Bistrot du Coin near Dupont Circle, a (very French) salad with smoked salmon, shaved fennel and roasted veggies.

Sorry for the brevity of this post. I'll be back home and into blogging more devotedly. Stay tuned also for part 2 of Alexis's advice about how to eat out without blowing your diet. (I'm afraid I did not follow an of it this weekend....)

Scenes from our nation's capital

I haven't photographed food in days, which is kind of weird. Tonight we're eating at Wolfgang Puck's place in the Newseum, supposed to be pretty darn fabulous, so I'll write about that (with pix) for sure.

Last night we whooped it up at POV, the outdoor bar/lounge overlooking the White House in the W Hotel (used to be the Hotel Washington). Seriously good cocktails; loved their negroni.

But for now, here are a couple of sightseeing shots. The one that's hard to decipher is from the Newseum's terrific 9/11 exhibit....showing a wall of front pages from news coverage around the world, and the metal thing is part of the broodcast antenna that was atop one of the twin towers.

The video featuring eyewitness accounts from journalists who were on the scene that day is very moving.

Which matters more, diet or exercise? (Part 2)

The answer to this question (which matters more, diet or exercise) depends on the context of the question.

If you are asking about which is best for your overall health, the scientific evidence thus far comes down on the side of the importance of exercise. Moving our butts on a regular basis -- even if it's doing everyday activities such as taking stairs instead of elevators, walking between offices instead of emailing, doing yardwork and housework, parking farther away from the door of the store than you have to -- protects against heart disease, some kinds of cancer, diabetes, makes us sleep better, and a whole lot of other great benefits.

But if you are asking about weight control, I am convinced that diet trumps exercise for keeping the pounds off. A recent visit to my doctor reinforced that belief.

He said: Your exercise habits are terrific, keep it up. But if you want to lose weight, you have to watch what you eat very carefully. And eating healthy foods is not the whole story; you also have to watch portion size. If you eat too much (too many calories) you will gain weight, or at least you'll be unable to lose pounds.

Words to the wise!

DC Dining -- Just getting started!

We're in Washington for a few days -- hot as blazes, but like much of the rest of the eastern half of the U.S., supposed to become tolerable by Saturday.

Last night we met friends at the upscale Equinox, right in the center of the lobbyist/lawyer/politico universe. Of course, they were all on vacation while Congress and the Prez are away, but the place was packed anyhow. Top photos of the chopped salad (with fresh local figs) and grilled salmon are from there. The food was very inventive; we really loved our side dish of summer succotash and a dessert of huckleberry panna cotta.

For lunch today I met my friend David at a Dupont Circle Frenchie eatery -- tres, tres francais -- where I had the mixed veggie salad with smoked salmon (bottom photo). The restaurant is Bistrot du Coin, and if you are a francophile, you'll feel right at home. The waiter's French accent was very sexy.

We have major dining plans the next three evenings & I will report on how it goes.

Eating out without Blowing It -- Part 1

Guest Healthy Foodie Alexis Bonari has some great tips for us about how to eat out -- which Americans do an average of at least four times a week -- without sabotaging our healthy-eating principles. I'm posting Part 1 today, with Part 2 to follow within a few days. Thanks, Alexis!

Tips and Tricks for Eating Out: Sticking to Your Healthy Food Ethic

If you’ve been working hard to maintain a healthy diet, you certainly don’t want to blow everything on a restaurant, no matter how delicious the cuisine might be. Although it’s usually best to avoid eating out, when you’re at that inevitable lunch date or birthday dinner, there are plenty of ways to make sure you stick to your healthy foodie guns. Check out the following advice for making the most out of the healthy options in any restaurant.

Pre-Game

If you know you’re going out to eat, grab a healthy snack just before you leave. This will keep you from ordering an appetizer and will help minimize your frustration if your friends dig into one. Try something light but substantial, such as apple slices with a little peanut butter or half of a bagel with low-fat cream cheese. Yogurt is also a great choice, but you might want to add some carrot sticks to keep something in your stomach while the appetizers make the rounds at your table. While you’re preparing your snack, think about what you’re going to order. If you’re unfamiliar with the restaurant, look it up online and check out the menu to figure out what you’ll order. Making the decision before you get to the restaurant can help keep you on track with your healthy diet by minimizing temptation.

Get Specific

Make sure you’re familiar with everything about the dish you’re ordering. Ask questions if anything seems vague and don’t apologize for your “picky” behavior. It’s your prerogative to order exactly what you need from a restaurant. Once you know what you’re getting into, order all sauces and dressings on the side to avoid consuming too much of them. Many dishes arrive drenched in potentially fatty, cream-based sauces and dressings like ranch or bleu cheese that can ruin your diet. Don’t order anything fried; instead, inform the waiter that you’d like the dish grilled, broiled, steamed, or cooked in a similar healthy way. Often, menus will let you know when you have multiple preparation options like these.

Coming soon: Minimizing liquid calories and being mindful of your portions

Bio: Alexis Bonari is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education, researching various online degree programs. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.