I can’t believe it’s already June. The weather in NYC may not feel like it, but summer is right around the corner. I’d love to know if there are any nutrition topics you guys are interested in hearing about as we go into this new season!

Despite the non-summery temps, I took advantage of all of us having days off at the same time and went to the Jersey Shore with my mom and sister. Sometimes random schedule changes have a silver lining, and I was happy to be able to do something enjoyable with that found time.

Growing up, Long Beach Island was where my family went for vacation in the summer, so I have so many memories of the place. My mom has been going there since she was a kid, and her family has shared a house since the 1970’s. I don’t make it down as often as I would like, but I appreciate the ocean air and change of scenery even more as an adult than I think I did as a kid.

We left Friday night after having dinner with my dad and playing with the dogs for a bit. Leaving later you miss out on a lot of the Parkway traffic (#NewJerseyProblems) so we still got in at a decent hour and enjoyed a beautiful Saturday and Sunday together. It was a nice mix of walking, reading, talking, a little shopping, and minimal busywork (I still had to sneak in a little writing, but it was something I was enjoying working on), and even some local fitness classes. It’s cool to see what new stuff has opened up on the island. Saturday morning I enjoyed my first-ever TRX class at Black Sheep Studios (wish this place was in NYC), which left me super-sore but in a good way. Gentle Yoga at the nearby Yoga Nine on Sunday morning was a great balance.

Here’s what we ate on our trip:

We made eggs with avocado, spinach, and tomato for breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. Total “healthy living” breakfast cliche but delicious and satisfying!

Saturday’s lunch was at The Black Whale, a local bar and restaurant that has great fish. We started with some steamed clams and house salad and then my mom and I both got blackened grouper with broccoli for our main dish. My sister had sautéed softshell crab. It was a wine-with-lunch kind of day, and I enjoyed some prosecco.

I was a little too hungry in the afternoon to make it to our earlyish dinner reservation without a snack, so I had a plain Greek yogurt with blueberries around 5. For dinner, a we tried a new restaurant called Parker’s Garage that just opened up on the island, and I really hope they do well. We shared some appetizers and veggies (if you go here, order the Brussels sprouts—amazing!), and I had a piece of salmon as my a la carte fish. I was super-hangry and feeling all, “Joey doesn’t share food!” but this would be a great place to go if you wanted to order a bunch of small plates and split an entree or two.

Then we shared this cool dessert that was funnel cake with strawberries, whipped cream, powdered sugar, and red basil. The basil totally made it. We were all too full to have more than a few bites, but I’m already brainstorming ways to use this flavor combo at home.

Sunday morning we had another eggs & avocado breakfast and then after a morning that included a walk and yoga, we packed up and caught a bite at another seafood place on our way off the island. One of the foods I always have to have when I go to the beach is mussels, and these did not disappoint. This picture makes me want them again.

I actually enjoyed the car ride back listening to music and talking with my mom and sister. By the time I got back to NYC it was still early enough to throw in some laundry and do a little food prep working with the frozen veggies and some random still-good kale I had in the fridge, so it was like best case scenario for a weekend trip. Couldn’t ask for more!
How did you spend your summers as a kid? 

To see more WIAW, check out founder Jenn’s blog Peas & Crayons or visit hosts Laura and Arman‘s blogs.

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