Gettin’ Fancy in NYC + Fat Free Apple Cider Muffins

Hello from the Big Apple!

Oh, hey, I'm on a boat!

Oh, hey, I’m on a boat!

Why does it feel like I was just here? Oh yeah, because I was. I’m back in the city to get in on some Fashion Week action, and I can’t help but laugh at the irony of it all: I spent 4 years in NYC avoiding Fashion Week, basically for fear that I wasn’t “cosmopolitan” enough to hang around this scene. Now, I’m living in a country world in the Hudson Valley, and I’m back in the big city rocking stilettos and mixing with the “beautiful people.”

This should be interesting.

Anyway, as promised today I’m going to share with you the recipe for those delectable fat free apple cider muffins that I made for my mother’s birthday.

But, first, a quick picture from last night. I arrived in time just to celebrate the birth one of my favorite guys in the entire world: Michelle’s husband, Rory.

Happy Birthday Rory!

Happy Birthday Rory!

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WIAW: In a New York State of Mind

Whenever I’m in NYC, the week seems to fly by a little quicker. I don’t know how I actually lived and worked in this city for almost 4 years!

I’m back upstate for a day today, but heading back to the city tomorrow to get in on some Fashion Week action! For all the time I lived in the Big Apple, I never even stepped close to Fashion Week. It should be an interesting experience, and hopefully I’ll have a few stories to share on Monday.

But, it’s ‘What I Ate Wednesday” (WIAW) time, so let’s talk about my eats. We’ll start in NYC and make our way back to the Hudson Valley by dinner!

The weather was unbearably humid and heavy while in NYC, so I wasn’t able to run in Central Park as I had hoped. So, I fueled myself for another workout at the Ritz Carlton with breakfast + a view.

I could get used to this little view.

I could get used to this little view.

That right there is some delicious hotel coffee and a half eaten Starbucks Morning Bun (I forgot to take a picture until halfway through). Whenever I’m staying in a hotel, one of my most treasured morning routines is walking downstairs and making myself a cup of coffee. It just feels so luxurious not to have to brew it myself.

It’s the little things, my friends. Anyway, after breakfast, I walked a few blocks to the Ritz to get in a quality workout before an exhausting day of running around the city.

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Rough Life in NYC

Hello from the top of NYC!

We are on top of the world!

We are on top of the world!

My parents came to NYC for the weekend, and luckily decided to make a pit stop upstate to visit their favorite daughter. We had something VERY important to celebrate:

It's a VERY special day!

It’s a VERY special day!

Yesterday was my mother’s birthday, so we spent the day together celebrating the greatest woman alive 🙂

I now figured out why I have barely any pictures with my mother. I had to beg her just to squeeze this one out of her yesterday…and she sort of made me promise not to post on the blog. Ooops. Sorry mom, you look great, as usual! Not a day over 35 ;-).

We spent the day eating great food, and doing my mother’s favorite thing in the world: shopping. I also made my mom some special fat free Sometimes Healthy Apple Cinnamon muffins.

Special Muffins for Mom!

Special Muffins for Mom!

These babies included fresh chopped apples, apple cider, apple butter AND Apple Chobani. They were definitely a hit, and I hope to share the recipe Wednesday. Whenever my mother comes to NYC, one of her favorite things to eat are the fat free muffins at the bakeries, so I figured she’d enjoy some of her very own special healthified muffins.

We also went to dinner on the river and ate some birthday cake with extra frosting.

Celebrating one special Mommy!

Celebrating one special Mommy!

My mother loves buttercream frosting, and in her younger years, she used to be able to eat the frosting off of half a big cake! She’s decided to eat frosting in moderation in her older, wiser years.

After dinner, we headed back to the city, where I am going to stay a couple of days for some QT time with the parents. I’ve written about this hotel before, and whenever my parents stay here, I feel like I’m living in another world.

Sadly, I found out this morning that the gym in the building was being renovated, which meant I might not be able to do my tabata workout for the day.

Then, they told me the hotel guests could use the Ritz Carlton’s gym.

I guess this will do...

I guess this will do…

Rough life I am living here in NYC, that’s for sure. I banged out 8 miles on the treadmill (to humid to run outside) and a quick tabata workout. I was definitely the sweatiest person in the entire gym.

Hot, sweaty, selfie.

Hot, sweaty, selfie.

But hey, the more sweat, the better the workout! The Ritz gym was not too shabby and had more than enough to keep this Sometimes Healthy Girl occupied.

Now, we’re off for dinner with my brother and his wife. Hope you’re enjoying your holiday weekend!