Dinner at 5Church

5Church is the talk of the town when it comes to Uptown Charlotte restaurants.  Located at the corner of 5th and Church (hence the name), the exterior leaves much to the imagination.  You'd be unlikely to imagine the energy and contemporary vibe that fills the interior.  After hearing many people talk about their spectacular dining experiences, I knew a Labor Day weekend trip was in store with the parents.  I was a bit hesitant given the reputation of a loud atmosphere, but opted to take a chance on a less intimate dining experience in exchange for a first-class meal.

We were escorted to a table in the corner of the main dining room and introduced to our server, Hack.  Talk about stellar service - this guy has perfected the art of waitressing.  After a brief scan of the menu, we elected two appetizers to wet our palate.  

The cheese plate featured generous wedges of blue, white cheddar, and feta cheeses.  The blue was paired with a beet puree, the cheddar with a raisin chutney, and the feta with an olive tapenade.  The cheddar and raisin combo was to die for!  In addition to crostinis, the plate include many olives and a few peppers.

Artisan Cheese Selection $12

 Our second starter was the mixed greens salad, which Hack graciously offered to split three ways.  We were immediately impressed by the split portion size when it arrived.  The combination of the marinated mushrooms, slight bit of cheese, and tangy vinaigrette made for a well balanced crisp salad.  The only food-related negative comment I would give is that the "fresh" bread left much to be desired - flavorless and a bit too dry.

Local mixed greens, green beans, marinated mushrooms, bellavitano gold cheese,
grilled red onion, porcini thyme vinaigrette  $8

5Church's menu boasts a range of cuisines, from small plates to traditional "steaks and chops", burgers, seafood, and even tofu.  I was deciding between several fish options, but ultimately chose the North Carolina grouper entree.  The grouper had a nicely seared exterior, while maintaining a beautiful moist and flaky interior.  The popcorn shoots were unlike anything I had tasted before - sweet and crisp.  The succotash featured a mix of fresh vegetables served warm, yet not overly cooked.  The red pepper emulsion provided the key to unifying the dish.  I loved the large portion, yet thanks to the freshness of the ingredients, never felt overwhelmed by richness.

NC Grouper with corn and fava bean succotash, red pepper emulsion, popcorn shoots  $27

Dad was quick to make his entree selection - the lamb burger.  While ninety percent of his diet is vegan, he just simply could not pass up the enticing burger.  Fortunately, he was beyond happy with the juicy and incredibly flavorful lamb.  The fries were noted by our waiter to be dipped in duck confit prior to frying to preserve a soft interior while generating a crispy exterior.  Judging by the several fries that went uneaten and packaged in a to-go box, I'd say they were not terribly impressive or he was simply too full to keep eating.

5Church Lamb Burger with grilled red onion marmalade, gorgonzola cheese, arugula,
house-made sesame bun, and crispy confit potato  $13

Mom's choice for the entree was the salmon.  As far as flavor combinations were concerned, this was the winner of the evening.  The wasabi crust over the top of the salmon paired perfectly with the seaweed salad and flaky salmon.  The bok choy continued the Asian theme, and the miso emulsion was one of the best sauces I have ever tasted.  We all agreed that sauces are the secret to taking an otherwise basic meal and kicking it up to a culinary masterpiece.

Wasabi crusted salmon with sauteed bok choy, marinated seaweed salad, and miso emulsion  $19

After thoroughly enjoying our appetizers and entrees, we decided that it would be an injustice not to personally attest to the quality of the entire menu.  Hence, dessert became a necessity.  While many of the sweets sounded delicious, the s'mores trifle was the clear winner.  Imagine for a moment the mouthwatering goodness of layers of hot brownie chunks, crystalized fudge sauce, and homemade marshmallow.  Seriously, one of the best desserts I have tasted!

S'mores Trifle

Have I made my love for 5Church clear?  I would declare the evening an epic culinary experience.  Charlotte has an abundance of fantastic restaurants to choose from, but I would argue that 5Church would rank near the top when it comes to an evening of fine dining.  It does become a bit loud as the evening moves into night, but not so much so as to disrupt conversation within each table.  The impeccable service and variety of well executed entrees combine to make this a top-notch eatery.  Do yourself a favor and make a reservation to dine at 5Church in the very near future!  I'll definitely be back!

Labor Day Adventures

Hello three-day weekend!  Look who came to visit.  That's Bailey the destroyer - a new nickname I'm giving her after she mutilated the poor innocent moose in an attempt to rid him of his stuffing.  She does it with such an innocent face though, so you can't help but laugh at her.

She brought Dad and Mom with her for a holiday weekend trip to Charlotte.  We kicked off the long weekend with dinner at the newly opened Chuy's Restaurant in South Park.  I've heard great feedback about the casual Mexican eatery and was particular intrigued by the "free" nacho bar served on weekdays from 4-7pm.  We arrived just before 7pm and munched for a bit on the nachos (chips, refried beans, salsa, queso) while sipping on drinks (a mojito for me!).

The weather was warm, yet very comfortable with a light breeze and we enjoyed lounging on their patio with our appetizers.  Eventually, we proceeded to share two main dishes - an appetizer sampler plate and vegetarian enchiladas.  The sampler plate featured nachos, quesadillas, flautas, a chile relleno, and guacamole.  The veggie enchiladas were filled with grilled squash, zucchini, onions, and mushrooms, topped with ranchero sauce, and served with beans and rice.  It was traditional Mexican cuisine, but both dishes were well seasoned and full of flavor.  Between our excessive chip-eating and large portions, we had enough left over for another full meal.  As evidenced by the empty plates, my appetite was in full force.

Saturday morning started with sleeping in and then proceeded to include a 6 mile run with my favorite puppy.  I arrived home to a house full of delicious breakfast smells - stove top oatmeal topped with a coconut fig reduction.  Great job Mom!  In honor of the start to college football, I couldn't help but break out my FL gator cup filled with OJ.

Summertime Saturday mornings are nothing short of perfect.  We set out for a morning of all of my favorite things - caramel lattes at Not Just Coffee, Atherton Market, and the regional farmer's market.

For dinner that night, I had made reservations at 5Church.  I've heard wonderful buzz about this uptown restaurant since it originally opened more than a year ago, and decided I had to witness all of the hype for myself.  The meal was nothing short of epic perfection!  More details and pictures coming soon . . .

We cheered for Florida in their victory over Toledo that afternoon, and then later in the evening relished our food coma while rooting for Georgia.  Obviously Bailey is far from a night-owl, and instead opted for sleep while wrapped up in a Florida Gator blanket.

I'm always planning outdoor excursions in the Charlotte area, and as the summer draws to a close, I chose to take advantage of the warm weather for a kayak down the Catawba River.  We rented kayaks from Catawba River Expeditions and set forth on a paddle from the Lake Wylie Dam.

I love the fact that my parents are always up for an adventure!  We had to modify our usual long hikes due to dad's hamstring injury and mom's bum achilles, but still managed to have a great time.

Mom and I had a tandem kayak and led the way down the six mile stretch of the Catawba River.  There were a few areas of shallow water and rocks which generated a bit of white water and added excitement, but otherwise it was a peaceful morning on the water.

Dad was in a solo kayak and opted to follow behind the ladies.  He claims he took up the rear to rescue us if needed, but I secretly think he was just using us to lead the way through the rough patches.

 We saw lots of wildlife, including waterbirds, osprey (diving and catching their lunch), turtles, and jumping fish.

After a 2.5 hour hike we had worked up quite an appetite.  I packed a picnic lunch for us to feast on at a nearby park.  We enjoyed a vegetable lentil salad (a recipe from Veganomicon), chicken salad on rosemary toasts, clementines, a Great Harvest savannah bar, and ice cold drinks.

What a fantastic weekend!  Great eats, fun adventures, and always enjoyable time with family!

Red Top Mountain Triathlon 2013

August 25, 2013

1500 meter swim, 27 mile bike, 6.2 mile run

Highlights

Swim: 29:27 (1:58/100m) - far further than the advertised 1500m

T1: 1:31

Bike: 1:24:30 (19.3 mph)

T2: 0:35

Run: 47:06 (7:35 / mile)

Finish: 2:43:08

1st overall female

Pre-race:  I raced the first annual version of this race last year and found myself 2nd overall.  Despite my hatred of hills, I knew I would be back this year for a chance at redemption.  Besides, I love any excuse to travel home and hang out with my family.  Making this race even more special was the fact that Dad, Royce, and Erin were doing their first triathlon relay.  I'm doing my best to slowly convert them to die-hard triathletes - the just don't know what's coming!  Breakfast was the usual peanut butter toast and banana on the drive to the race site.  Everything was going according to plan until I turned on my Garmin - fully charged just 2 days before - and the battery low alert chimed.  Fantastic . . . guess I'll be racing without any data.  That was a first.

Racing together!
Erin (swim), Royce (bike), Dad (run)

Swim: There was far too much drama on race morning for what should have been a simple 1500 meter swim.  The two loop course was an awkward shape and turned out to be much longer than the advertised 1500 meters.  The time-trial start is my favorite, but within the first 25 meters I caught an elbow to the eye, filling my goggles with water.  After a brief panic that my contacts would fall out, and a brief roll onto my back to empty the water, I was on my way.  It was a rather uneventful swim otherwise.  (3rd/50)

T1:  An uphill run from the water brought me back into transition.  I took a few extra seconds to strip my swim skin and put on socks. (1st/50)

Bike:  In the past, I've had a great hatred for the bike, but this season I've made some improvements and am much more focused and mentally "in the game" on the bike leg.  The seven mile stretch from the park out to the highway were exactly what you would expect for a course with "mountain" in the name.  It was one of the most technical race courses I have done, with several significant climbs and steep curves.  I made the pass to move into second place within the first few miles.  The stretch on 41 was going very well until I attempted to shift into my small chain ring for a climb and noticed that it wouldn't drop down.  In many races, this wouldn't be a problem, yet I was about to make the turn back onto the roads that featured several challenging climbs.  Without any other choice, I climbed in my big chain ring for the remainder of the race, trashing my quads as I hammered up the hills.  Nutrition on the bike included a bottle of Heed and one Hammer Gel with caffeine.  (3rd/50)

T2:  In and out in thirty seconds. (3rd/50)

Run:  From the start, I felt very focused for this run.  I knew there was some major climbing to do over the course of six miles, as well as several minutes to make up if I had any chance on fighting for first place.  The first half-mile was a brutal climb, but then transitioned to gentle rollers for the next mile.  I found my cadence and settled into a good rhythm, slowly passing several men ahead of me.  At the turn around at mile three was the first that I caught sight of the first-place female.  The best I could tell she had a minute lead on me.  Mile four to five was non-stop climbing.  I was struggling to maintain pace and felt my heart rate climbing.  I elected to change to a fast walk for two twenty second intervals in order to conserve some energy.  Fortunately, I could see I continued to gain ground on the lead, and ultimately took over the lead near the five mile marker.  The last mile was smaller rollers and I continued to build my lead (ultimately a minute and a half).  The finish came within sight, only for the run path to diverge for one additional loop before truly crossing the line.  Minus my Garmin, I had no idea what my run split was, but thought for sure it was slow.  I later discovered I made up 4.5 minutes on the run, averaging 7:35/mile , which for the course, was better than I expected.  (1st/50)

Post-Race:  I was thrilled, yet also surprised to have taken the win.  I have a constant battle between work and training, and often become frustrated that I'm not able to train to the level that I wish to.  Fortunately, however, this season has been shaping up to be very successful, with multiple overall podiums.  The best part of the day came when I got to cheer my Dad around the last loop of the run and then cross the finish line together with Royce and Erin.  Watching other people accomplish athletic feats is always exciting!  It was a great treat to race at "home" with so many familiar faces, and I enjoyed chatting with many of them as we cooled down and waited for awards.  Thanks to PT Solutions and Georgia Multisports for another terrific event!

Thanks to Mom for serving as my triathlon sherpa, photographer, dog wrangler (Bailey loves to attend triathlons) and cheerleader!  Even with a boot on her gimpy leg, she managed to tough it out all morning.

My next race is Tri for Abbey here in the Charlotte area on September 22nd.  Until then, it's back to being an 80 hour-a-week doctor, training at every spare moment possible, triathlete.

An Iron-Size Decision

As I was scrolling through my Twitter feed on Thursday morning, I came across a very exciting announcement.

SEPTEMBER 28, 2014

CHATTANOOGA, TN

2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run

"IRONMAN Chattanooga will begin with a point to point swim in the Tennessee River with ample spectator vantage points alongside the city's famous Riverwalk. Athletes can look forward to a fast, down-current swim. The bike will be a two-loop course with scenic farmland and mountain views. The two-and-a-half loop run course will showcase beautiful downtown Chattanooga, the South Side, Riverview and the North Shore. 

Registration opens September 4th, which leaves me with seventeen days to assess the pros vs cons, risks vs benefits, insanity vs exciting challenge, and overall proposition of racing for 140.6 miles.  My thoughts, in no particular order are:

1. Forth year of residency is likely to be the most conducive to dedicating every second of spare time to training.  

2. I need a coach and a structured training plan again.  If I'm really going to take on this challenge, then I'm in it 110%.  While finishing alone is a remarkable achievement, I want more than that.  I've always been a competitor, and there's no doubt I'm going to let that change now.  

3. 112 miles on the bike is far longer than my butt has any interest in spending on a bicycle.  

4. I'm already drooling thinking about all of the extra food I can indulge in to fuel 15+ hours of training each week.  Yes, I'm food obsessed!

5.  This is going to be a major hit on my wallet - $650 race registration, race wheels, aero helmet, massages, food, equipment maintenance, travel, etc.  

6.  I've never run a marathon.  Last week I moaned and groaned through every mile of my eight mile run.  

7.  Lazy weekend mornings will be replaced by a six hour bike followed by an hour run.  Who needs sleeping in, drinking coffee, and pancake breakfasts while watching the news?

8.  A point-to-point swim downstream in the Tennessee River = best possible swim scenario.

9.  If not now, then when?  

10.  "Crystal Perkins, you are an Ironman."  As a triathlete, I can't help but feel the absolute need to hear that at least once in my life.

And so with all of that being said, I'm 95% sure that I'll be signing on the dotted line when registration opens on September 4th.  My heart jumps into my throat just contemplating the commitment.  Hopefully between now and then I can begin to wrap my head around the idea a bit more.  

Any words of wisdom?  Anyone else want to jump in and join me on this crazy adventure?

Post-Call Ramblings

Last night was pretty calm at the hospital - at least as far as consults were concerned.  Unfortunately, that didn't keep my pager from obnoxiously beeping at what seemed to be 10 minute intervals from about 12:30am to 4am.  Obviously, I was not meant to get any reasonably deep sleep.

A run through Myers Park with music blasting is the perfect remedy for post-call blahs.  It's never easy to get going, but after six miles I was a whole different person.

Post-call pancakes in all of their glory are a requirement in my world.  After, of course, I proceed immediately from car to shower and vigorously scrub away all of the nasty hospital germs.

An hour-long midday nap could easily become a daily habit if I had the schedule that allowed for the peaceful block of time.

"Summer melon" was my adventurous purchase at the farmer's market last weekend.  It's the sliced fruit in the above picture and tastes like a combination of cantaloupe and honeydew.

Eggs scrambled with a random assortment of fresh vegetables has come to be one of my favorite lazy weeknight dinners.

I love supporting all of the local farmers and vendors in the Charlotte area.  Last weekend Whole Foods had a lunch and learn with the local vendors and I enjoying hearing about their passion for food and locally cultivated and crafted delicacies.  Bonus that they surprised us with an elaborate lunch spread featuring all of their products.

Dinner eaten al fresco on the deck while enjoying the last hour of sunshine brings the day to an end in a very enjoyable way.  Now if only it weren't for the 100% humidity and mosquitoes trying to eat me alive.

And  last, but not least, climbing into bed the  night after missing sleep is a fantastic feeling.  Too bad there's and alarm clock set and ticking for morning.