Calories vs Everything Else

So, I'm still around.  And I was pretty good at writing up the daily adventures I had while on my roadtrip with James, BUT I was not as good at having adequate internet connection to post said blogs.

SO, while you wait with bated breath for pictures of all the things I ate in several states and countries, and while I actually finish putting all those pictures up, I give you this:

http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/mcdonalds-veggie-wrap/521f4f3a02a760133c000059

A conversation from Huffington Post about fast food, calorie counting, "healthy" options vs actually healthy options, and the marketing of it all.  It's a fascinating subject, spurred on by McDonald's new veggie wraps that they are selling in Canada.

If you eat fast food more than once...(a week? a month? a year?).  No.  Just once.  Ever eaten fast food? (Your answer is probably yes)  Ever thought about how what you eat at that restaurant is sold to you?  Marketing is EVERYTHING to fast food places, so I'm not reprimanding anyone for eating fast food, only for eating fast food without considering the implications of eating it - health wise, environment wise, labor wise.  Fast food is complicated.

The video here is a little bit long - it's 25 minutes.  But for the most part, there's not a whole lot to see in the video, so what I did was turn it on so I could listen to it while did some dishes.  It's worth it to check it out.

...and I'll keep trucking on those road trip blogs, promise :)

-Bethy

Epic Diamond

I’m going on a road trip.  (Well, ok, technically, I’m already on it, but whatever.)  My friend from home, James, is coming to Boston, and we’re going to explore the Northeast the right way – by renting a car, and driving place to place to place for 5 days, weaving in and out of 4 different states, sleeping in the back of the car, and seeing parts of Canada as well as the US. 

Thursday was my last day of work at Clover.  It was time for me to leave the truck, and I have so many feelings about not getting up early every morning, and spending 8 hours a day slapping together gorgeous sandwiches, plating and baking barbeque seitan, and running lunch rushes like a beast.  I’ve spent the last 11 months learning, growing, and leading on that truck at MIT, and I’m honestly going to miss it a lot.  But, life moves on, and it was time for me to do the same. 

So, what better to do with a new life of unemployment (hopefully not for too long!) than to see a huge part of New England and Canada that I’ve never explored right before classes begin again??  Now this is what I call FUNemployment!

Our route begins and ends at home in Allston, and fans out to a huge diamond shape, with Allston at the bottom.  Our stops include:

-Concord, NH (because James and I are HUGE state capitol nerds)

-Montpelier, VT (same reason)

-Waterbury, VT (Ben and Jerry’s factory!  And to have some Heady Topper!)

-Burlington, VT (I want to show him one of my favorite places on the east coast)

-Montreal, Canada (I’ve never been there, and haven’t been out of the country in too long – it’s time for a little international flavor)

-Quebec City, Canada (same reason + POUTINE)

-Mt. Katahdin, Maine (epic climbing adventure)

-Portland, Maine (I love Portland, and I haven’t been there yet since moving to Boston a year ago, plus lobster rolls.  I need not say any more.)

Yeah.  It’s a lot.  This was pretty much a crazy “where do you want to go in New England?”  “Um, I don’t know, how about ALL these places??”  “Ok.”  kind of conversation that completely materialized in the best way. 

As always, I’m finding all the foodie type topics and places, and issues to be popping out at me, proving once again to myself that I’m DEFINITELY in the right Masters program…

Love it.

-Bethy