Tag: Donuts

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on July 26, 2022

  1. I am writing this post from Duncan’s apartment where the WiFi is like that of my dreams. Fast like a Starbucks lobby, but comfortable like a hug from an old friend. The WiFi at my place is horrid, and often prevents me from wanting to write anything because of how sSSsLLooOwwWw it is. Little luxuries like this keep the world spinning.

  2. I have had the last two weeks off of work for what was meant to be a vacation, but turned into a staycation. For the first week I was irritable, kicking myself for not having anywhere to go after changing original plans, but during the second week I settled right in. I go back to work today and can’t say I am looking forward to it. I’ve been biking, hiking, sleeping, running, eating, staring at the wall, and reading.

  I’m currently reading A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, and prior to that I finished the book below.

  

  3. With this time away from work, my chronic – year long back pain – has subsided during the second week. I am certain that my job has been contributing to my lack of healing, and I am now game planning my next move. No job is worth breaking my body for.

  4. The heat has hit Washington and it has hit haarrdd. Duncan and I went for a mid morning hike recently that should have been moderate to easy, but it felt hard with the heat. I suppose having Covid two weeks prior made it difficult too, but who knows. The views were great though.

  I don’t know which I preferred, the mountains off yonder or the gray jay’s stealing food out of people’s hands.

  

  

  5. I have a possibly unhealthy attachment to my cat. I feel genuine sadness when I leave him for a night or two. I have always loved the little ball of fur, but lately I feel closer to him. Please live forever. Please let me put you on a leash and come with me on hikes.

  6. I have been more mindful of my Instagram usage lately, and occasionally take days off at a time. The benefits I get from staying off of it outweigh the temporary boredom quell, but recently during one of my allotted scroll times I entered a giveaway for some local GF/V donuts I have been wanting to try. Spoiler: I WON!!!

  I was stoked to get a free six pack of their current seasonal flavors. Half of them were more of a miss, but the other half were tasty. Although I still prefer my Brittany friendly muffins from another local biz.

  

  7. Speaking of Brittany friendly muffins, I woke up Sunday morning to Duncan surprising me with one of these muffins. I told him I wanted a muffin surprise someday, and I didn’t anticipate that day being so soon. It was delicious, despite the fact they initially gave him the wrong muffin. We went back to get the right one.

  8. I found a new road to ride my bike on that gives me backroad farm vibes. Maybe because it is a backroad with farms…but it makes me feel like I am biking in an area that warms my soul which is hard to find where I currently live. I rode there three times in the last week, and I think I have finally found my new spot.

  

  9. I miss the spirit of blogging past. When I first started this blog, I met copious amounts of others both online and in person because blogging was a growing hobby for many. I understand the entirety of this type of social media has changed with the onslaught of Twitter and Facebook and Instagram etc, but sometimes I just miss the community these blogs fostered.

  I also adore when those who still read my blog leave me a comment. Like, it legitimately makes my day. Please be a community with me. I need friends.

  10. I sometimes get sucked into the homebody aura that Duncan exudes, and while this is helpful at times it can also be harmful for me. This past weekend we got out of our bubble and went to a brewery for a friends birthday and played card games with six other humans. We laughed until our bellies ached, and afterwards we ate sushi with the sunset.

  It doesn’t take much, but that evening was a complete recharge for my mental health battery.

  

  Q: What’s your confession?

  

  | 55 Comments Tagged Biking, Donuts, Early Morning Confessions, Hiking, REI

• Dublin City Center

  Posted at 7:00 AM by Brittany, on June 6, 2017

  My trip to the Emerald Isle both started and ended in Dublin. My flight left Seattle and landed in London, then from London to Dublin and vice versa. Despite the 8hr time difference, our first night in Dublin we went out to explore. This was both an attempt to get on schedule with their time zone, and because…well…Dublin!

  

  We arrived around 3pm Ireland time, 11pm Seattle time. And stayed awake until 9pm Ireland time…you can do the math.

  

  The city center itself reminded me of a slightly smaller, less busy Seattle. That is if Seattle had random castles and cathedrals at every corner, and if Dublin had 10x more Starbucks locations. Dublin was the only area I saw a handful of Starbucks locations until I reached Cork nearly a week later. I didn’t mind though, who wants Starbucks in another country?

  Not I.

  

  Dublin Castle

  

  

  The city itself is very walk-able. We chose not to get our rental car until leaving Dublin, which was a good move. There is limited parking, and I can assure you I would have been 5.76% more stressed if I had the car. We chose a hotel close to the city center and covered over 30 miles on foot in the first two days.

  

  

  

  There is a pub on every corner in Dublin just like there is a Starbucks on every corner in Seattle. You don’t have to worry about getting thirsty, or hungry. We stopped into the iconic Temple Bar, but didn’t stay long. Just enough to say we went. 😉

  

  

  

  After wandering the city and grabbing a bite to eat, we retired to our hotel for the night. We chose hotels and B&B’s for this trip, all of which were fantastic aside from the two Dublin locations. They weren’t terrible, but they weren’t great either. The following morning after day one in Dublin I went for a run around the city.

  

  

  

  Irish people seem to come alive a wee bit later than I’m used to, and it was great to run through the city with minimal people. The weather was cooler than the previous day giving perfect running temps. I ran by the city river, through the streets, passed cathedrals, and donut shops. Mmm. Donuts.

  

  

  

  I didn’t worry about getting lost because on day one we located a large spire that quickly became a point of location. No matter where we were, we could always see the spire, and from there it was easy to find our hotel. Navigation level expert.

  Even if I did get lost, the people in Ireland are so friendly. I lost count of how many times I asked for directions in Dublin. Without a cell phone to navigate location we relied on good ol’ fashioned verbal directions. It was fun.

  

  The spire

  

  Doors of Dublin

  Where we stayed: Nights 1-2 we stayed at Hazelbrook House B&B, but we were disappointed to learn that we had to pay extra for the second B. No breakfast, small room, and uncomfortable bed. Alas the location was perfect so it was fine.

  

  Night 10 (final night) we stayed at Dublin City University, because they rent out the dorms in the summer. It sounded awesome, but the beds were worse than Hazelbrook. The walking paths nearby were lovely though, and it was very close to the airport. Again, not so bad.

  

  

  Edible Highlights: The donut that broke the camels back was found at Off Beat Donuts. Before departing Dublin at the beginning of our trip we wandered the city a bit more. Not much was open (remember, everything comes alive later than in the states) but the donut shop was.

  This was the catalyst to my “eat everything” mantra. 

  

  

  

  Sweet mother of pearl. That donut filled my soul in ways I cannot describe. It gave me the green light to put away my food fears and just eat. Everything. My vegan friends would be horrified, but I was liberated. The food in Europe is nothing like in the states, and I felt better physically than I had in years. Yes…years.

  Cheers to that.

  

  Live music, mini farmers markets, friendly people, Dublin was a great start to the trip. My next two posts will share more of Dublin with my trip to Trinity College and the Guinness Factory, as well as a spontaneous adventure to the outskirts of Dublin.

  Travel tip: Ask for directions. The people in Europe are very friendly, and this allows you to gush at their awesome accents. 

  

  | 50 Comments Tagged Donuts, Dublin, Ireland, Travel, Vacation

• Race for the Roses 10k

  Posted at 8:00 AM by Brittany, on April 25, 2016

  I survived my first race of the year, and it went better than expected.

  

  In an attempt to rectify my love affair with running I signed up for this half marathon back in January. After skipping one too many long runs and staying on the shitty diet train for too long I decided 13.1 just wasn’t in the cards for me.

  I decided to run the 10k instead which has always been my favorite race distance. It’s a happy medium for me that requires no training and somehow always sparks a fire in my soul for the sport. Something about being around other runners reminds me why I run.

  

  Normally when I sign up for a race it’s 100% based on location, course, and finishers medals. This time I was able to find one that satisfied all of that, PLUS benefited a good cause. It was a win win win win.

  The morning of the race I was a moody Mary and didn’t want to go. I didn’t sleep well, didn’t feel well, and dreaded the idea of running. Skipping the race wasn’t an option, and once I arrived my mood immediately changed.

  From moody Mary to glowing Glenda with two snaps and a twirl.

  

  It’s hard to be grumpy when 100% of the proceeds from a race go towards families and people with developmental disabilities. My sister has autism, so this cause was close to my heart. The crowd of people that participated were full of energy and inspiration.

  The course wasn’t as flat as I’d expected, but it was amazing. We ran through the city of Portland over bridges, along the water, and between skyscrapers. I found myself smiling more than expected.

  

  Obviously not my photo, but was taken the day of the race.

  I’m not exaggerating when I say my running has been awful lately. When I’m not running consistently, anything over 3 miles becomes difficult. I went into this race with no expectations, and told myself to just enjoy the miles as they came.

  Around mile 4 the sun started to hit me. I felt my brain pounding between my temples and decided to take a couple walk breaks for about 30 seconds each. Despite these stops I still finished with a time I’m proud of, and only 2 minutes slower than my PR.

  

  The finishers medal is a handmade slab of wood with the logo stamped on it, I adore the rustic look. I also got a fun swag bag that I stuffed full of post run snacks.

  Will run for carbs.

  

  Fast forward two hours: A trip to Blue Star Donuts and somehow two vegan donuts made it into my hands. A blueberry cake donut, and orange olive oil.

  I regret nothing.

  

  I balanced all these carbs with a hefty salad for dinner. I’d give away my bag of mini Clif bars (I hoard free race goodies) for that salad every night.

  

  So there you have it. Just like that, I feel inspired to run again. I often say running is 90% mental and it’s true. After turning around my attitude I was able to enjoy this experience and finish strong. Thoughts of donuts helped too.

  Q: What’s your favorite donut flavor? I’m a sucker for a good apple fritter, but that orange olive oil was so unique is swept me off my feet.

  

  | 88 Comments Tagged 10K, Donuts, Portland, Race, Running, Vegan

• Portland – The Land of Good Coffee and Cat Pillows

  Posted at 6:58 AM by Brittany, on August 17, 2015

  Though my recent trip to Portland was short, I managed to pack in enough adventure to highlight a few things Portland is best known for.

  

  A tiny home with giant Sunflower stalks. I want.

  I’m fortunate to live just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Portland which makes the 3 hour drive doable without much notice. I’d been spending a lot of time in Seattle lately, and needed a change of scenery.

  

  Can anyone guess where I stopped first upon arrival? After spending 3 hours in my car (with at least 4 bathroom stops) I needed a pick me up.

  

  On my last trip to Portland I was given this card for a free coffee because they forgot my moms bagel. I decided to cash it in, but because it was after 1pm I went with decaf. I told you in my last post what happens if I drink coffee after noon.

  

  I almost got a regular coffee, but these tasting notes were perfect.

  

  In true Brittany fashion, I needed something to pair with my coffee.

  What I’m about to say next requires no explanation because I feel no need to justify my decision, however a brief glance into my thoughts might help clarify why I paired my coffee with a non vegan donut.

  

  I’ve been having a lot of issues with food lately, as regular readers will know. It had come to the point where I felt like I had no control over what I was able to eat, and I was feeling immensely restricted and fearful of anything that I put into my mouth. I have my safe foods, which I enjoy, but after a while they get a bit old.

  

  Traditional vegan donuts are full of junk (well, I suppose most donuts are) that my body doesn’t like and my usual go-to’s for donuts are now off the table. Sure, I can make my own, and I plan to in the future, but after walking past Blue Star Donuts and reading their statement on simple, whole food based ingredients I knew I had to go in.

  

  They had one vegan option, but I had been lusting over one specific donut ever since I saw it online a few months ago. Blueberry bourbon basil. If that doesn’t catch your attention I don’t know what will. When I first adapted a plant based diet I always said when I traveled I’d become a “vegan with benefits,” and with French based recipes consisting of whole foods, I benefited that day.

  

  I was caught trying to take a photo of my donut and coffee when someone asked if I wanted my picture taken with them.

  So there you have it, I ate a donut that had NO soy, no nuts, no unrecognizable ingredients, but had eggs. I regret nothing. Will this happen again? Not anytime soon, and not unless I’m in Italy because you better believe I’m eating all the pizza.

  I don’t quite know why I had the urge to eat this donut, but my mind told me to eat it and I did. Plus, when the ingredients are locally sourced and I know the animals aren’t being harmed for their products, my morals aren’t compromised.

  I no longer feel restricted and the donut did its job. Moving on.

  

  Donut and coffee in one hand. Skillz.

  Oh and the verdict? Light, fluffy, but the flavor wasn’t what I was expecting. It was delicious, but I was hoping to feel like I took a bite of blueberry pizza (basil) with a swig of throat burning bourbon. It just tasted like an airy donut.

  I didn’t feel sick after so that was a win. It also paired beautifully with the caramel and buttery notes in my coffee. Total taste-bud harmonization.

  Post donut and coffee consumption, wandering was required. Powell’s bookstore is always a good time, mentally stimulating on so many levels. I’ve been in the market for a new pillow and almost purchased one I saw while perusing the store.

  

  I decided against the giant cat pillow after considering how my main man would react. He tends to get jealous, and these days I try to put others needs before my own.

  Even though he was busted ripping things off my wall so that he could lay on them, but I digress.

  

  “I do what I want”

  Next I ventured down to the water to soak up the last bit of the sun. I passed some solid cathedrals on my way there, and I’m a sucker for gorgeous architecture.

  

  

  The only thing that would have made my trip to Portland better would have been a solid hike, and a trip to Multnomah Falls. The falls are on my bucket list, and next time I intend to stare at them until my eyes hurt.

  My next trip to Portland will be mid January for round two of Gregory Alan Isakov, but this time with the Portland symphony. Does this make me a groupie?

  

  Not sure a visit to the falls will be a good idea when it’s freezing out in January, but nothing is off the table in my world.

  • Coffee scene – check
  • Foodie scene – check
  • Food trucks – check
  • Listening to street musicians – check
  • Tattoo’s everywhere – check
  • Exploration – check

  Portland in a nutshell.

  Q: How was your weekend? I have one more day of freedom, and today I’m off to Mount Rainier!

  

  | 60 Comments Tagged Cats, Coffee, Donuts, Explore, Portland, Stumptown

• When I’m Not

  Posted at 5:47 AM by Brittany, on June 22, 2015

  One of my favorite things about blogging is having a space to purge all the random thoughts that swarm inside my brain. Doing this also allows me to connect with other like minded bloggers, forming lifelong connections and genuine friendships.

  

  My number one friend.

  Sharing my love for plant based food and cats allowed me to connect with Kayse, a creative girl with a green thumb and a hand for art. After lusting over her art work for months, she kindly sent me a customized dapper cat portrait of my dude.

  

  Words cannot express my gratitude. Please do yourself a favor and check out her online shop, the art she creates is so unique and fabulous.

  Ok, time to purge some thoughts.

  When I’m not blogging, or having a stare off with my cat, I’m usually eating. I haven’t posted a recipe on the blog in MONTHS, simply because I’ve been enjoying exploring OTHER peoples food. I’ve found a few companies that cater to walking science projects like myself, and I happily support them. Local eats are my favorite.

  

  Local pizza, I’m all about that pie life right now.

  When I’m not eating I’m running. 100 mile May gave me my recent running mindset. I’m in a fantastic routine where I am excited about my daily runs, and on the off chance I’m not I skip it for something else. It’s a beautiful thing.

  

  There’s also more room for cupcakes when I have a consistent running routine, that’s also a beautiful thing. Balance in bliss.

  

  You’d never guess these cupcakes were dairy free, gluten free, soy free, rice free, nut free, egg free, dinosaur free, spinach free, & broken glass free.

  They fall into the “if one doesn’t take up your entire hand you need two” category.

  

  Just like these donuts.

  I think I need to make these two hand treat photos a thing.

  When I’m not eating or running I’m playing with coffee at work. I haven’t created any of my own coffee tastings lately, but I have been putting together mini ones at work for my coworkers with featured coffee’s and Starbucks food. 
  

  

  This blend has a beautifully complex flavor of red currant, with a bright and sparkling acidity typical of African grown coffee. I don’t prefer these tasting notes, but I try to explore other options once in a while.

  When I’m not working I’m still spending time with my coworkers. We’re family.

  

  My fellow coffee master ❤

  We all love to drink coffee.

  

  When I’m not with other people I’m exploring alone.

  

  My happy place.

  I love blogging, but lately I’ve been enjoying life away from it all more. Eating, running, working, and exploring have taken top spot which is typical of the summer months. I just can’t soak up enough adventure fast enough!

  On that note, I’m off to explore. I mean…off to work.

  Q: What things take up most of your time?

  

  | 59 Comments Tagged Bloggers, Cats, Coffee, Coffee Master, Cupcake, Donuts, Plant Based, Running, Starbucks, Vegan

• Donuts and Coffee

  Posted at 7:33 AM by Brittany, on June 8, 2015

  National Running Day (NRD) and National Donut Day (NDD) were conveniently set within a day of each other. Coincidence? I think not.

  I logged 4 miles on NRD, 3 miles the next day, and 9 more miles between Sat/Sun . I wasn’t kidding when I said “I run to fit into my pants.” Thankfully I have a decent handle on the whole balance thing, and have been eating greens from my garden to counteract sugary donuts. Collards, and spinach, and rosemary – OH MY!

  

  I must be honest though and admit I did NOT actually consume a donut ON NDD. I ended up working later than planned, and good vegan donuts require a bit of travel. I instead daydreamt about the ghosts of donuts past.

  

  Specifically about this epic creation from VooDoo Doughnuts in Portland. Chocolate, Oreo’s, and peanut butter. So much yes.

  I don’t follow the rules, and despite the hype and excitement behind “national” anything day, I had no problems waiting until Sunday to embark on my donut quest.

  When I think donuts, I also think coffee. A piping hot cup of Joe as black as my cat.

  

  Meow.

  SO I ventured near Seattle, climbed a mountain, and got some donuts. Good things come to those who wait. I even risked tummy woes with the chocolate flavor.

  

  If a donut does not take up the entire space of your hand when being held, you need another one. Safe to assume you’ll always need two. If we’re being honest again I actually played too long in the forest yesterday and didn’t make it to the donut shop before it closed. I had to settle for the only two choices offered at Whole Foods.

  

  

  

  Worth it.

  What I really wanted was a maple bar and an apple fritter. Looks like I’ll be going back.

  I also didn’t have these donuts with coffee like I had planned…so this post has turned into a whirlwind of coulda, woulda, shoulda. I did have pizza and a jam filled scone though, and I have a new appreciation for geometry. Triangles = good things.

  

  I ❤ scones.

  Q: Did you celebrate NRD or NDD? Yes, yes I do fall prey to the made up holidays, but only when they support my addictions. In reality everyday is a good day for donuts and running. June 6 was national trails day…so I just clumped them all together.

  

  | 54 Comments Tagged Donuts, Hike, Pizza, Rattlesnake Ridge, Run, Scone, Vegan

• Discover Portland: Foodie Tourist

  Posted at 7:18 AM by Brittany, on February 26, 2014

  My trip to Stumptown coffee would fall into the playing tourist category, but was so monumental it deserved a post of its own. After my race I needed coffee, but I also needed something else…something sugary and naughty. I needed a VOODOO doughnut.

  

  

  Initially I went to the location downtown, but after seeing how long the line was I decided to drive to another location. Still a line, but not nearly as long.

  

  I would have waited, but my copilot said no.

  The wait time was about 15 minutes, not bad. I somehow pulled willpower out of my back pocket as if it had always lived there, and I saved my two donuts for later.

  

  

  I got a classic powdered doughnut with a raspberry filling, but you don’t want to see that. What you’ll want to see is the chocolate, Oreo, peanut butter doughnut that rocked my face so hard I kicked myself for only getting one. Seriously..unreal. I’d drive back just for this…

  

  

  iPhone photos

  I saved this treat for specific reasons, I had my stomach set on a Portland vegan meal. I’ve wanted to try Bye and Bye since reading about it in a blog post a yr ago. I’ve never been a fan of bars or pubs, but this place stole my soul. I would come here every weekend. With an all vegan menu, cute customers, and an even cuter bartender I was swooning..hard.

  

  

  Arrows point to what I ordered.

  The food was amazing, but my photos are terrible. It was dark and I used my iPhone, so I’ll spare you my atrocities and share these photos I found online. My meal was out of this world, and I could easily eat the same thing everyday. Photos linked to original source.

  

  

  I could meet my vegan/granola soul mate at this bar.

  With a full tummy, it was time to finally head home! I got about 20 minutes into my drive and it was doughnut time. My two day trip to Portland has been alive all week as I spaced out these blog posts, and I can’t wait to go back. When I do I’m grabbing a Voodoo to go with my free Stumptown coffee. Pure bliss.

  Q: What’s your favorite way to experience new areas? By foot, food, and exploration! 

  

  | 53 Comments Tagged Adventure, Donuts, Portland, Run, Vegan, Voodoo donuts

• Seattle Half Marathon

  Posted at 8:35 AM by Brittany, on December 2, 2013

  I am here to write this post, which means I didn’t get lost somewhere on the course. Despite feeling like I wanted to die at times (OK, so that’s a bit dramatic) I survived and am very happy with my overall experience!! First, I must rewind to the day before the race. I was so jazzed to venture to Seattle, because I was able to meet MEGHAN!

  

  If only her co-blogger Rebekah came too!

  This unbelievably gorgeous gal (seriously..she was a babe) KILLED the FULL marathon and has a shiny new PR tucked into her back pocket!! Way to goooo M! We got lunch at The Veggie Grill, because I am obsessed and like to drag all my blog friends there. I had a blast with this girl, and we chatted as if we were long time friends. I love blogging!

  ONTO the race!! 3 AM came quick, but I was able to roll out of bed and get all my stuff together. I was running with one of my longtime friends, and she was picking me up around 3:40. I got my coffee and we hit the road!! We got to our parking spot EARLY, just how I like it. This left lots of time for bathroom breaks and photo ops.

  

  

  When you let someone else take your photo, 90% of the time it comes out blurry. OH and it was cold.

  7:30 came and we were off. Now let me just say..my friend up there..on the left…is a bit of a speedy-gon-haul-ass. Her pace is at least an entire minute faster than mine for most runs, but I ended up running with her for the first 4 miles. Finally, when I looked at my watch and saw I was running sub 9 min miles I knew I needed to calm down. I didn’t train for this race, and if I kept up this pace I’d never make it. I gave her my blessing and she took off. She ended up owning this race and finished about 15 minutes before me.

  The first half of the course was fine, I felt OK..not great..but OK. I hit mile 7 and my hips suddenly felt like they were carrying 10lb bags of sand. UGH. I was way too far from the end to feel like this. This is when I knew the remainder of the race was going to be almost 100% mental. I had to push..hard. This is also when the hills really started to show their ugly faces. Damn you hills, you killed my hips and lower back!

  

  but I don’t wanna!!!

  I ended up walking..A LOT. In fact I was shocked by how many OTHER people were walking as well. I have to admit I was easily influenced by others walking. I walked some of the hills that I just couldn’t fathom running up. In all reality it wouldn’t have been running anyway, more like an injured looking mouse hobbling away from a fox up the hill.

  The course was stunning, and I wish I would have appreciated the scenery more instead of focusing on my legs aching. We ran though woodsy trails, neighborhoods, and over the city. I felt like I was on top of the world at one point. My Garmin lost satellite around mile 4 so it was completely off, and I was convinced my time was going to be awful. I was shocked when I finally made it to the finish and saw that my time was 2:15, a 10:19 pace.

  

  I walked a lot, I didn’t train, the hills kicked my ass, and my legs felt like lead…but somehow I still managed to complete a half marathon FASTER than two of the three previous half’s I trained for. This time is 6 minutes slower than my PR, but I have NO complaints and I was more than jazzed about my finish.

  After the race I was walking like I just gave birth. My legs were like jello and any stairs I saw were quickly cursed at and made me want to cry. I sucked it up though, because I was on my way to Mighty-O to get myself some DONUTS! Will run for donuts..

  

  Overall I would say this race was a success. I’ve run a handful of race in Seattle, but this course was one of the prettiest. I would love to do it again next year..with proper training of course. Despite feeling like I was dying for 1/3 of the race it still went by fast and I earned my medal, and I destroyed an apple fritter.

  

  Q: How do you refuel after a long workout? After regular workouts I like to eat a healthy meal, but after a race I love to eat poison sugar! DONUTTT. 

  

  | 74 Comments Tagged Donuts, Half Marathon, Mighty-O, Race, Running, Seattle, Vegan

• Coupons Make My Heart Soar

  Posted at 9:34 AM by Brittany, on April 11, 2013

  Fact: Sweets taste better when they’re free. Most of anything tastes better when I don’t have to spend any of my hard earned cash money on them, but sweets are the top dog in this playing field.

  I’ve been daydreaming about being a contestant (is this what I’d call myself?) on Extreme Couponing. While I don’t have the patience or the brain capacity to do all the work that goes into couponing, watching other people coupon is extremely fascinating. I may never have a stockpile the size of the Taj Mahal, but I do my part in couponing for civilians.

  

  I was lucky enough to be born with sticky fingers, and while at VegFest a few weeks ago I snagged a “few” extra BOGO donut coupons. Six to be exact. I used four coupons last weekend, which gave me four free donuts.

  

  

  *One maple bar was consumed prior to the picture taking. Donuts wait for no one.

  These bangin beauties are from Mighty-O Donuts in Seattle. Only the best vegan donuts around the sound. Let’s do some math now. I spent a total of $3.78 on four donuts (My friend bought the other four making our total eight, but for the sake of numbers we will only count the ones I paid for.) Remember when I said all the lost change I found with my coin counter would go towards donuts? Well I wasn’t joking. I’ve found a total of $2.19 thus far, subtract that from my whopping total and I payed: $1.59 for four donuts. Oh sweet victory is mine.

  I wish I could say the sugar faeries stopped dancing in my brain after I bought these donuts, but that would be a terrible lie. While in Seattle, I do it big. Both my friend and I had coupons for a free dessert at Veggie Grill. The donuts were packed safely for later and along with a delicious comfort meal, we had two desserts at no cost to us.

  

  

  Damn if feels good to be a gangsta  couponer.

  For all health purposes I feel inclined to tell you the only thing I ate this day was half of that carrot cake. I saved my donuts for the days to follow, and I still haven’t touched my half of the cookie. As much as I’d like to go into a sugar coma by eating everything in one sitting, I just can’t.

  If anyone would like to pay me large heaps of money, I will teach you my frugal ways. I also still have two donut coupons for anyone that wants to chat over coffee and sugar!

  Q: Do you ever use coupons? 

  

  | 68 Comments Tagged Coupons, Donuts, Food, Frugal, Mighty-O, Seattle, Vegan

• Running For Doughnuts Makes You Run Faster

  Posted at 5:48 PM by Brittany, on April 29, 2012

  There is something “off” about people that wake up at 5am to go running. Fortunately for me, I was never really “on” in the first place. This morning that’s exactly what I did, I awoke at 5am and headed to Seattle to get my run on. My running partner had to attend to more important things, so this was my first solo race. I was a bit apprehensive about going alone, but it turned out to be a smooth day. 

  Smooth flow number one – Timing. I arrived an hour and a half before race time. This ensured zero lines when picking up my race packet. 

  

  Smooth flow number two – Parking. Arriving early means prime pickins for parking. I was literally parked 30 seconds from the starting line. 

  Smooth flow number three – First to use the biffy. Ohh this was a real treat. A brand new outhouse, ready for me to destroy. An hour and a half driving in the car was more than enough time to brew my morning…what rhymes with brew..

  Smooth flow number four – Starbs across the street. I was able to walk to Starbucks, get a coffee, feel the crack caffeine sink in, and use the biffy a few more times before the race.

  The smooth morning continued as I laced up my shoes with my sweat pink laces, and I headed off for a walk around the lake. 

  

  I awkwardly asked for my photo taken, it was almost like asking Santa for an unreasonable gift..it’s just..awkward. 

  

  If you look closely you can see an adorable vein protruding from my neck. This was obviously due to the caffeine stuffing its way through my blood stream. Bring on the shakes! You’ll also notice a small chunk missing from the bottom left corner of my race number. 

  

  If you thought I waited until after I ran to get my free doughnut you are out of your mind. I was not going to wait in a line and get the bottom of the barrel doughnut, I wanted first picks. 

  

  Post race I only took one bite out of that horse hoof. I had an upset stomach so I decided I wasn’t going to eat the whole thing. DO NOT fret, I gave it to someone else. NEVER waste! I still got my celebratory bite, and that was all I needed.

  Speaking of upset stomach, yesterday I had similar tummy issues and I only ate a bagel and a protein bar. I was sure my run today would be affected due to this. I could only muster a few bites of a sandwich this morning, and a few sips of water. During the run I felt sluggish. My chest hurt, and I wanted it to be over. Come to find out, I managed a PR and ran the fastest 5K to date. I ran 3.12 miles in 29:58, a 9:36 pace. I ran a race on this very same course two months ago and my time then was a minute and 34 seconds slower. I’ll take the improvement! I only wonder what my time would have been had I fueled properly. 

  Although I wasn’t hungry for a doughnut (blasphemy!) I went to Mighty-O’s to get myself a vegan sugar fix. 

  

  I figured there is no way to justify buying a dozen doughnuts for yourself..so I settled on 5 mini’s. 

  To sum up this post, today I ran my first race alone, I ran for doughnuts, I ran faster than past races, I christened a port-o-potty (seriously this is a big deal), and I survived the streets of Seattle without getting hit by another car. I think my post title pretty much says it all. I’d say it was a successful day. 

  Q: Best post race treat you’ve received, or if you’ve never completed a race what WOULD you run for? Few things can beat a free doughnut…except maybe a free cat. 

  

  | 43 Comments Tagged 5K, Donuts, PR, Race, Running, Sweat Pink

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