Farewell Fiesta
Hi friends! How are you? Hope you had a great day <3
My work schedule has made twice-a-day blogging rough on Thursdays, so it was a very nice surprise to see the Pilot take my place earlier today 🙂 Hope you enjoyed the post as much as I did. He’s a keeper <3
We’re doing really well on our “let’s stop going out to eat every night challenge”
Ok, actually we’re doing terribly. Haha.
Remember when I used to cook every night for us? Delicious healthy meals? I really need to bring that back- it’s been terrible lately. Since the Pilot got groceries, I really have no excuse from now on… 😉
Anyway, back to our Mexican feast.
We went out to Guadalajara Grill with Kyle and Meg. They’re leaving for Cali tomorrow for an entire week, so we had a little farewell dinner and pre-birthday celebration- Meg’s bday is next week.
Guadalajara has the best salsa- a bold statement, but 100% true. The salsa is made fresh at your table according to spiciness preference.
I had about a thousand chips + salsa.
The Pilot had a 32-oz margarita the size of his noggin.
For my meal, I rolled with the guaco-tacos (guacamole, lettuce, tomato on corn tortillas), no cheese and veggies instead of rice.
(Ate half since I was full from chips and saved the rest for tomorrow’s lunch)
The server REALLY impressed me when I asked for no cheese.
He was like “no cheese, or completely dairy free?”, I paused for a second [shocked] and was like “dairy free, please.” He said, “well our beans have a small amount of vegetable shortening, so would you like something else instead?” I told him the vegetable shortening was no big deal, but he double-checked no cheese on the beans and my order came out exactly as I asked. It was mind-blowing, for realz.
It was a lovely dinner with lovely friends. I can’t believe they’ll be gone for an entire week!!
Well it’s get-ready-for-bed time over here 🙂 I teach early tomorrow and then am off the rest of the day 🙂
Enjoy your night and I’ll see ya in the am <3
xoxo
Gina
Something to talk about: Anyone else out there going out to eat way more than they like to? What’s your plan to change it?? For me, I’m bringing meal planning back- that’s usually good encouragement for me to make something at home.
Mark your calendars: Summer Shape Up 2011 starts a week from Monday, June 6! Videos, new workouts, meal plan, the whole she-bang. If there’s anything special you’d like to see, please let me know.
*I’ll also have some very exciting news to share with you that week, too. Big thangs poppin’, my friends 🙂
73 Comments
Leave a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Big exciting news, eh? I hope it’s what I think it is! 🙂
Your dinner looks fabulous! And that server certainly was impressive. It’s always great when places make sure you get what you want, y’know? Hope you have a good most-of-the-day off tommorow!
I could literally eat Mexican food every meal and be perfectly content. So. Bad.
It seems like its much harder not to eat out during the summer. All I want to do is PLAY. 🙂
me too and
me too 🙂
I’m confused…there’s dairy in vegetable shortening?
i have no idea, but i was so shocked i can’t really be sure what he was saying. haha
Dairy-free! I would be shocked too! So nice to hear that a restaurant would even think about that! I try to go without dairy as much as possible because it makes me sick, but it can be frustrating at restaurants!
I like news!! I need to start meal planning. I like everything else planned, but seem to fail in the meal department – it’s like the one thing I wing, so maybe it’s aiiiight!
we’re trying to reign it in too… we have been dining out WAY too much. I’m excited to get back into the kitchen!
Ooh big news!
This week we’ve been doing ok, but it seemed like every night last week we went out to eat. It eventually got pretty boring!
it’s driving me crazy, but i still haven’t been motivated to cook anything!
thats impressive! i love places like that. I also love saying “Guadalajara” lol
hahah it does have a nice ring to it 🙂
I miss cooking!!! I have to eat every night because we have been living in a hotel room since January :0( I can’t wait to get my kitchen back, I may never eat out again! LOL!
Serious kudos to the waiter for asking if you want it completely dairy free! 🙂
Ohhh I’m psyched for the summer shape up challenge! I’m involved in my own challenge via tumblr right now that goes on till the end of June, but once that is over I’m definitely giving yours a whirl 🙂
Lately, mexican food with margaritas is the only thing that sounds good for dinner. But, I recently set aside time on a Saturday to prepare 16 individual dinners and stick them in the freezer. That way, I have no excuse why I can’t eat dinner at home. I try to go out for dinner 1 night a week to take a break and have some fun. Can’t wait to hear what the big news is!!!
Sadly, my hus and I eat out more than I care to admit so make adjustments to meals are mandatory for me. Maybe…maybe 60% of the time they come out correctly so that indeed is shocking ha! I would like to definitely stay in more but we have completely different eating habits and to be honest am just lazy and do not feel like preparing 2 meals every night. But its also for sanity purposes… When we are at home we are both in our chairs burried in laptops so going out is our “us” time. We have quality convos, destress from work and basically enjoy being with each other so its kind of worth it to me. I just definitely have to be smart about what I order.
**Kudos to the waiter.** 🙂
“The Pilot had a 32-oz margarita the size of his noggin.”–
Smart guy!
Going out? No, not us. Girl honestly, enjoy it! When were were childless, we went out ALL The time. It’s just not the same going out now as it used to be and it’s easier (cheaper) and just better for us to stay in, but til you guys have kids, enjoy all our shenanigans. You’ll look back on them fondly.
Head sized margaritas and thousands of chips are fun memories 🙂
i’m about to move which means either finish, chuck, or box up what i can take with me food-wise. absolutely zero fruit or veggies in my house right now 🙁 eating healthy out is getting SO expensive. whole foods salad/hot bar is destroying my wallet!
THat is AWESOME that the server was so aware of possible dietary needs. I find that so RARE..and sometimes wonder if they small differences ask for..ever really happen.
We rarely go out to dinner.. the bf would probably say never..and wishes it would change..but I love homecooking.. and think it is more cost effective, too!
Whenever sailor man comes home we hit up the restaurant scene like crazy! But c’mon he hasn’t been able to eat at his favorite restaurants in forever, plus I secretly miss getting Girlyd Up for dinner out. I put up with the big portions and extra calories for a little while just to see him smile and enjoy a mondo size beverage with friends.=) It always takes a few weeks to get back into the grove of things, so I’m sure pretty soon he’ll crave the dinner at home routine.
For moving, I look for hotels with tiny kitchenettes and stick to fresh fruits, veggies and beans or lentils. It’s nothing glamorous, but makes for easy meals and makes my body happier than heavy restaurant foods (and prices).
I’m pretty good during the week, but once Friday hits, I start eating out wayyyyy too much. I have a feeling it’s only going to get worse now that it’s patio season :S I don’t currently have a plan to cut back… but one idea would be to stay home and cook with the boyfriend on either Friday or Saturday and only go out for dinner once a week.
I’m seriously impressed with the waiter and kitchen – I feel like most of the time my food requests are scoffed at or just ignored. Can’t wait for the news ;0)
YES! My hubby and I have been traveling a lot so we don’t want to stock up on a ton of groceries. But this is when I turn to a lot of frozen veggies because they won’t go bad and still taste pretty fresh (the steamers).
i feel you on the not cooking at home thing – we haven’t been going out to eat, but i keep getting easy frozen meals at the store. ugh. my goal for this long weekend is to make a flexible cooking plan so that we’re back to veggies and lentils and yumminess!
I’m always surprised by how accommodating restaurants have been. All you have to do is ask. 😀
I can’t wait to hear your big news! Lately I’ve been eating out way more than I’d like to admit as well because I’ve been doing it mostly as part of social functions. I think I need to find some different social get-together ideas because I really do enjoy cooking in my own kitchen! However… 32oz margaritas are worth going out for! 😉
Accomodating servers are great! I feel like it’s always easier to find veggie friendly meals at ethnic restaurants. I could eat Mexican every single day.
LOVE that server. I would have seriously jumped up and hugged him screaming “Oh my god, you understand my needs!!!”
Whenever I need inspiration to get back into the kitchen I buy a couple of cooking magazines.
I love when waiters cater to your needs instead of giving you those annoyed eyes when asking for substitutions. I def. go through random spurts of eating out alot, and I always try to start with a house salad or grilled shrimp. For my entree, i try to stick to a pan-seared, grilled or broiled protien with a double side of fresh veggies.
I am def. that girl who asks for no cream sauce, no butter in my veggies and dressing on the side lol, but we are paying for the meal, so enjoy it!
Those tacos look extraordinary! As does the margarita. 😉
I love when places give really good service and are happy to cater to special requests. Sad that it can be so rare.
I’ll tell you what keeps us from going out to eat: our 4 kiddos, ha! No seriously, the cost isn’t worth it. 😛
Meal planning does however keep us from dinners of cold cereal or grilled cheese.
That is awesome that the server was so good about the dairy thing. There is nothing that irks me more than asking if their is dairy in something or how they prepare something and the server has no idea, so they go ask and then it’s 20 questions continued. I wish all servers were as good as the one you had.
“Big thangs poppin’, my friends”
“Poppin'”? Hmmmm….
I’m sure your news is very exciting, whatever it is, but that particular word does have very definite connotations…
haven’t you head the ti song? 🙂 i replaced the ish word with “thangs”
D’oh!!!
(crawling back into cave/under rock where I’ve obviously been living!!!)
hahah no worries!
THAT is bomber service.
Yeah I’ve been having self-induced guilt over eating out so much lately, but working full time + teaching group ex 4x/week has really put the kibosh on homecooking (other than simple throw-together stuff that I’m getting tired of), not to mention my wallet is crying. Like yesterday I had a lovely lunch date w/ a pea mommy you might know, and that was planned in advance, so nbd, but then an old college friend attended my boot camp that night and afterward was like, you want to grab dinner? Friends > cooking for myself, and I rarely see her, so sometimes you gotta roll with it I guess. Especially where Chipotle guacamole is involved. One day I will achieve balance…but that day is not today. 🙂
My fiance & I have been eating out like MAD for the last 2 months! Finally we got a grip on ourselves and have had 2 HEALTHY meals in a row now at home… we both feel so much better eating ‘normally’ at home.
I love Guadalajara! It’s just down the road from my house, too….which can be good AND bad ; )
ahh i used to go to guadalajara grill all the time! they really do have the best salsa!
I have a serious mexican food addiction and this does not help the cause. ohhhh, that salsa. I love when you make special requests (sans meat, cheese, etc.) and it comes out right. it’s the worst feeling when it’s wrong!
Can’t wait for Summer Shape Up!! I need to mix things up a bit.
Enjoy you day and can’t wait to hear the big news! xxoo
Love it! We have a small Mexican place near us that has the same decorations!
And you will get back into cooking when you get into your own house and get settled into some sort of a routine!
hello love!!
What a great dinner, mexican is always a GREAT choice in my book! Chips, guac, and salsa , are heaven !
Hope you and the pilot have a great holiday weekend!!
Excited for the great news! Cant wait to hear!
miss u!
xoxo <3
Glad that the waiter was SO accomodating! Sometimes I get scared because I don’t know how competent they are on issues like that…
I love the feeling after eating great Mexican food. Just pure bliss. Looks like a great night out 🙂
Awesome server!
Could you do a video / demonstration on some toning yoga moves? I’d also love to see a video about workout stuff you can do at home without any equipment. My dad gave away most of our workout stuff! 🙁
that’s an awesome idea! i’ll ask the pilot if he’ll be my camera guy again 😉
Isn’t it just the best when your order comes out exactly like you want it? 😉
yes!
We’ve been eating out a little too much recently – but sometime’s it’s cheaper to eat out than to by groceries and sometimes it’s just more fun! 🙂
I can’t wait to hear your big exciting news!!
Mmmm, I love authentic mexican food- yours looks great :)!
WOWWWWW…awesome. server. Like, I’ve never had that happen, but I think my mind would explode. Ha. Usually when I tell them what I can’t have (gluten, dairy, soy, meat), they’re always like whaaaa? lol
I was just thinking about the Summer Shapeup! Wondering if you might consider doing an “easing into shape” shapeup. Starting grad school really reduced my fitness regimen (haven’t done weights in a year!) and I’m having a tough time striking a balance between what I want to do and what I’m physically capable of doing right now (for example, I might have time/energy two days in a row where I do vigorous runs, but then my back hurts for a few days after because I’m not consistent). Just an idea. Thanks!
that’s a great idea! i usually post beginner options, but maybe there’s something more i could do.. the wheels are turning
omg, you’re finally getting the goat, aren’t you?! excited to hear the big news =)
maybe 😉
I have not seen all of your former summer shape up vids but I sure would like to know another way to use kettle bells other than slinging them through your legs or using the same way as you could a free weight.
Some kind of active motion. Also I saw where you had dance background and would like some hip hop and salsa/latin dance moves. Tell me the name of the moves as you do them. What is a sashay? a samba? that kind of thing.
We are def eating out too much! The husband is out on mission and we are the process of a back to back OCONUS PCS (we moved to Guam in Dec o8 and are now moving to Japan in Aug 11). Both my boys are playing baseball which = Monday/Wed practices, and 8 games between 5pm Fri and 1pm Sat. The crockpot gets a lot of use, but sadly, not near enough freshly prepared meals between the boys, working, volunteering, and all the move prep necessities and appointments. I need to tap into the recipes that folks like you and Gena, Heather and Ange have posted for ‘on the go.’