That Time We Went to the US Open

My husband and I have a common goal of taking advantage of everything we can while living in New York City. While we don’t plan on moving any time soon, we do plan on soaking in anything new and exciting that happens to be in the neighborhood.

The 2016 US Open kicked off last week, and attending the games was on both of our bucket lists. *Check*

The Arthur Ashe Stadium isn’t exactly in our backyard, but an easy subway ride up to Flushing, Queens brought us to the main entrance on Sunday.

Scott expressed interest in going after church, but I didn’t really think he was serious. If I did, I would have traded my maxi skirt and sandals in for shorts and tennis shoes. Eh, you win some, you lose some.

The weather was perfect for an afternoon outside, and we arrived around at the main gates around 11 a.m. optimistic and ready to purchase last-minute tickets for general admission. They weren’t cheap, but attending such an iconic event was well worth the trip and investment.

General Admission tickets don’t grant you access inside the Arthur Ashe Stadium (which is a bummer), but there are still plenty of things to do and matches to see in other areas.

In fact, we attended one of the last events held in the Louis Armstrong Stadium. That and the old Grandstand will be knocked down after this year’s US Open events come to a close in preparation for a bigger Louis Armstrong Stadium that will take its place in 2018.

We watched several matches, including an epic battle between Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Jack Sock. Sock – the underdog – had the crowd roaring for him the whole time!

While I don’t claim to know much about tennis, I do know that we were privileged to see incredible athletes play the game live. It was awesome to see the best-of-the-best right in front of us. We spent a lot of our time in the stands of the practice courts and smaller venues that housed the Juniors. The women were tearing it up!

(Maria Mateas vs. Anastasia Potapova)

We made our way around the property and ran into several cool scenes like this live broadcast for ESPN.

There were several merchandise stands, interactive game stations, and food options. Scott ordered a loaded hot dog, and I opted for the spicy chicken sandwich and jalapeño seasoned fries from Fuku for us to share. The sandwich was great, but I wasn’t the biggest fan of the fries that tasted over-seasoned.

One thing I quickly became a huge fan of, however, is the official signature drink of the US Open: Honey Deuce.

It’s an extremely refreshing beverage that is made with Grey Goose vodka, Chambord, lemonade, and melons. Town and Country replicated the recipe, in case you’re interested in trying it for yourself and making them at home (<- do it).

Due to plans we had later that day, we didn’t stay for the entire day of events, but we left our first visit to the US Open feeling satisfied. Who knows, maybe we’ll be back!

I can always count on my husband for filling our days with adventure and surprise. I’m thankful for the opportunity to attend the US Open this year. Who knows … maybe we’ll be back again next year!

 

Speaking of fabulous beverages and food, I figured I should include this week’s dinner plan in today’s post. It isn’t exactly connected to the US Open, but with a long holiday weekend, today feels like Monday, no?

(And on that note, I’ll just pretend that I didn’t work yesterday.)

Some of you might have picked up on the fact that I didn’t exactly get to follow last week’s plan very well. I ended up dining out or getting home too late (and hungry!) to cook most of the weeknights, so I’m hoping to find a little more balance and normalcy this week. We shall see how it unfolds.

In an ideal world, here’s what’s on the menu …

 

Meals On Deck This Week

• Tuesday – Skinny Pasta Pizzaiola (horribly documented, but I turn to it often!)
• Wednesday – Chopped Thai Salad w/ Coconut Curry Dressing (looks so yummy)
• Thursday – Throw together quinoa/burrito bowl or leftovers from the week
• Friday/Saturday – Pizza night/order in/date night out
• Sunday – Turkey Meatloaf with steamed broccoli, sweet potatoes, and side salads

 

I shared the Turkey Meatloaf recipe last week, but since I didn’t get around to cooking it, I want to give it another go!

I’d love to hear about your tips and favorite flavor/variations on the dish below in the comments section.

 

Weekly Workouts

(August 29 – September 4, 2016)

Wrapping up this Monday recap post on a Tuesday, let’s move on to a brief summary of what last week’s workouts looked like. (I like to share these when I try a new workout some of you reading might like, too!)

You can always find more in-depth workout ideas and plans on the Weekly Workouts page.

• Monday – 60 min. Orangetheory Fitness (Endurance) Workout
• Tuesday – REST
• Wednesday – 60 min. Orangetheory Fitness (Strength) Workout
• Thursday – 60 min. Orangetheory Fitness (Power) Workout
• Friday – Yoga Workout For the Ultimate Bikini Body via Popsugar
• Saturday – REST
• Sunday – REST

 

Thoughts …

I definitely upped my strength training this week with three 1-hour Orangetheory Fitness workouts! I took classes at two different studios, and I just so happened to catch a variety of class formats. Each OTF workout involves both strength and cardio exercises, but there is a different focus of each class (listed above). Occasionally, there will be a ESP day that involves a push of all three. My legs were feeling it pretty hard by Thursday’s Power workout! The rowing was really challenging for me, and it’s something that I’m working towards improving with every class.

I allowed myself three off days from exercise, and my body certainly appreciated the rest. I rounded out the week of hitting the gym with a 30-minute yoga flow that was great for stretching and closing out the week with a calm mind. This is something I hope to repeat frequently.

 

I guess that’s it for today, friends. Thanks so much for checking in!

 

» Linking these Weekend Snapshots up with Erin and Katie

 

Questions of the Day

• What is one sporting event on your bucket list?

• What is your favorite way to cook meatloaf? (Feel free to link recipes!)

 

Have a great Tuesday!