I am in love with this hotel!! I feel like we are in our new space in Charlottesville – a modern high-rise condo – and am really liking it. We haven’t even begun to make a decision about what to rent there, but I’m really leaning towards condo over house at the moment. Really, I just want something super modern. My whole life I’ve lived in older houses (my parents’ house was built in 1833) and I’ve been obsessed with modern things since I was young. Our current house was built in 1982 and has all the touches of the ’80s. I doubt we could afford to buy a super modern place, but since we’ll be renting for a year in Cville, I’m sure we can find something to rent.
It was super fun to sleep in!! And not have to get up and go workout – just head straight into breakfast! [I’m taking today off of formal exercise to prime my legs for my 10 mile run scheduled for tomorrow!]
But since we have a kitchen and pots and I brought a snack bag of oatmeal toppings, we brought up some items from the breakfast bar (which was very fancy!) and made breakfast up in our condo 🙂
Instant oatmeal (Quaker, why must you add guar gum and caramel color to your plain oats?!!)
(I usually carry some rolled oats in a baggie and didn’t bring those – d’oh – the one time I have a stovetop! I’m probably the only person in the world to make instant oats on the stove top but I had to give it a try with the hopes that the banana and milk/water combo helped with the texture and flavor. Sadly I don’t think it was worth the trouble. They still tasted 100% instant 🙁 )
Everyone travels with chia seeds, right!?
Banana, milk and GO
Mmmmmm oats!!!
The Mix for TWO people:
- 2 packets Quaker instant original
- 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 ripe banana
- 1/2 carton milk
- 1/2 cup water
Heat on stove top till thick. OR microwave on power level 5 for 2-3 mins.
Toppings:
- Galaxy Granola,
- 1 to-go packet of Barney Butter (you can order them from the BB website) (MY how I’ve missed BB!!)
- A dollop of Dannon All Natural Vanilla (so happy to see an all natural yogurt at a hotel that’s not fat free and filled with artificial sweeteners! But it is still high in sugar…me like plain!)
We also shared two little oranges
Because we are coffee snobs, we attempted to put our own EarthFare coffee into the hotel filter with a funnel of paper. It worked!! But it was NOT worth the trouble, as our coffee tasted pretty awful in drip form. I really don’t like drip coffee very much! French press all the way!
Matt and I are going to shower and then noodle our way around Davidson’s campus. I hear there’s a pig pickin at the SAE house?! I’m thinking about stealing away 2 hours and going to the coffee shop near campus to just decompress….that sounds like SO much fun right now!
Happy Weekend!
Happy First Day Of Spring!
and
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOM!!!!!!!!!!
Freya @ Brit Chick Runs says
I totally agree about the modern – my house is Tudor (ie 600 yrs old!!) but I’m obsessed with all things modern..I can’t wait to have my own, minimalist, house!!
I love that you bring all your oatmeal toppings with you, it’s so awesome 🙂
Good luck on you 10miler tomorrow 0 I’m doing a half marathon, so I’ll be thinking of you!
Freya @ Brit Chick Runs says
Oh, and happy birthday to your mum too 🙂
Michele | aka Raw Juice Girl says
Aw! Too bad you didn’t take your old-fashioned oats like you normally do.
And Happy Birthday to your mom! Today is my great aunt’s birthday as well – she’s 76 and still independent! 😀
Have a fantabulous day, Kath!
emily says
Happy birthday Mrs. Younger!
Danielle (Coffee Run) says
haha I would totally bring chia seeds with me 😀
Have fun this weekend and happy bday to your mom!
Food Makes Fun Fuel says
Happy birthday to your mother!
They add caramel color to plain oats? That’s disturbing, but I’m glad to know, too
Cynthia (It All Changes) says
I would love to live in a modern apartment/condo because it is more my style and I’ve always lived in older houses. Have fun living the high life!
Rachel @ Suburban Yogini says
Most things in Britain are a million years behind America and Australia (our plumbing for example) but one thing we have got right is banning the existence of drip coffee machines. As you say Cafetieres (French Press) all the way! 😀
skinnyrunner says
i am so impressed how you eat so healthy when traveling… I need to take some tips.
Jenny says
I agree with your idea about condo vs house!
Happy birthday kerf mom!
Jenn (www. j3nn.net ) says
Happy birthday to your mom!! 😀
Your hotel room looks like fun. Like some place you wouldn’t mind staying at on vacation and not leaving the room because it’s so cozy and convenient. hehe
Jenn
clay says
Way to be prepared for the road with oats! Hope your mom has a good B-day!
Jenn Eats Nutritiously Now says
Happy Birthday to your mom!
Sorry your breakfast wasn’t so great. It seems like you had fun making it, though.
Heather says
What a great looking breakfast – love that you always come prepared with oatmeal toppings.
Sorry the coffee didn’t work out – enjoy your day!
Foodie (Fab and Delicious Food) says
Happy Birthday to your mom!
Sarah R says
Wow! A stove and everything. How wonderful! Happy Birthday to your mom! I wish I could say it felt like spring here, but with the snow and wind is seems more like the first day of winter. 🙁
Beth @ Beth's Journey to Thin says
Haha I am impressed you got the coffee into that filter! Looks like a nice bowl of oats!
Ameena says
Condo live is the best…so easy and maintenance free! I highly recommend it, especially if you are moving to a new city.
Lauren @ A Fit Foodie says
My husband and I love modern and we live in a loft in downtown Louisville and love it. I think we’d be happy as clams if we lived in a loft/high-rise for the rest of our lives. It’s the best.
Andrea says
There is something so nice about renting and not having to worry about shoveling, raking leaves, the traditional upkeep of owning your own home. But I’m torn on the modern/older style. I just love the feel of older homes, but I’m sure there are a whole slew of hardships that come along with it. Sometimes I feel like modern lacks charm and character. But I can appreciate sleek and clean design! Have a fun day!
Lucy says
Hi Kath! I’ve been reading your blog for a while now, I haven’t commented though. Sorry for creeping in the background. Anyways, my little brother is a senior at Davidson, but he’s not on campus right now because he’s the catcher on the baseball team…they’re away at Furman! My dad and mom were there this whole past week, and now my dad is traveling with the team to SC…a He’s Davidson baseball superfan! Haha! I think the happiest week of my life was a spring break while I was in college, when I flew down there and spent the week going to the games, the beach at the lake, and even some parties…. 🙂 Good times! In other news, your style of banana oats has changed my mornings. I look forward to all that yummy goodness being in my tummy! All the best, enjoy what I hear is BEAUTIFUL NC weather!!
Kath says
Oh how fun!! Wish he’d been here to go see him play!
lynn (The Actors Diet) says
happy bday momma kerf!
[email protected]://stacey-healthylife.blogspot.com/ says
Have a great day. If you have have instant again, Bob’s red mill quick cook oats are actually really good.
The Paris Food Blague says
haha it looks like you gave that kitchen a good workout!
i agree, drip coffee is kind of stinky. and i get so angry when i look at a food label for a plain simple food–like plain oats or plain yogurt–and see that the company has felt the need to add coloring/preservatives/mysterious things….arghhghg
have a lovely day!
the paris food blague
[email protected] says
Happy Birthday Kath’s MOM!!! Have a great day!
Katherine says
I wonder the same thing with Quaker! Why make something so good – so bad? It does help with the stick to your ribs feeling though – that is hard to get with instant oats.
Brittany says
I LOVE staying in hotels!
I love how creative you are with your food! You take your everyday, bland things from the store, and you always turn it into something totally yummy!
Simply Life says
So glad you’re enjoying the hotel so much!
Kristin says
Spring Saturdays at Davidson were the best. Hope you have a great day.
Hannah says
I’m so envious that you have a kitchen in your hotel, and I haven’t even got one in my hostel! I miss oatmeal… though Parisian baguettes are quite a nice substitute 🙂
Kristine says
Say hi to Summit Coffee for me! 🙂
Ashlei says
You’re so right about french press coffee being the best! It’s pretty much the only way I’ll drink it 🙂 Earthfare coffee is good stuff!
Colleen says
Hi,
I just discovered your blog yesterday and am already infatuated – great job! I tried your classic oatmeal recipe this morning, and it’s delicious! Thanks so much! You mentioned not loving quacker instant oats, so I wanted to give you my accidental solution for homemade instant oats! I have celiac and so have to buy Gluten free oats (I prefer cream hill estates). On one order that I received, no matter how long I cooked the oats, they would not get creamy. When I emailed to inquire (particularly since I’d purchased 25 kg!), they apologized, said the error was due to a new miller, and suggested that I break up the oats in the blender before cooking. I tried this and realized that I was producing instant oatmeal – al la natural!
Luckily, their oats have returned to normal, but when I need oatmeal to cook in the microwave (or drip coffee pot) when I’m on travel, I pre-blend my oats and package them in snack-size bags to take with me! They only take few minutes to cook in the microwave, but be sure to stop and stir often so they don’t bubble over! Hope this helps! I look forward to making it through more of your awesome blog!
ruby red says
You are not alone! I have made instant oats on the stovetop before too, when I was on spring break a couple days ago! It wasn’t too bad – the banana and soymilk hid it a little. And agree with you on drip coffee as well – I generally can’t stand drip, even if it is my favorite coffee in the world. So sorry the hotel coffee machine ruined your beans 🙁
Kim says
That’s funny. I’ve always lived in new houses and dream of owning and older house with charector. We’re renting a house from 1928. Our kitchen has a Bosch range so it’s the best of both worlds.