Fish Bone Broth at Relish

Popped out to Relish at Cluny Court for an easy lunch with V. I keep going to Cluny Court, but I hadn't actually eaten at any restaurant at the building. I hadn't even stepped into Relish for months; maybe a year... or more. I remember its friendly menu but I couldn't name a single item from it aside from its decent burgers and tasty Scallop 'Her Kiao' Glass Noodles. 

Looking at the menu today, I couldn't even tell if it expanded its offerings. This afternoon, I was pleased to find a 'fish collagen broth udon' on the menu. There were pieces of fish (barramundi) with hand-cut inaniwa udon and handmade egg fishcake in barramundi bone broth. Wheeeee. It was perfect for a post-gym lunch. 

I simply ignored the collagen stated. With enough fish bones used, the collagen would have been all boiled in. I didn't need to finish all the udon. I just wanted the fish broth. This was a pretty delicious fish soup that wasn't a sodium bomb. V had the same thing because that was exactly what she was craving. But she passed on a sugar-laden soda. I couldn't resist having an osmanthus and wolfberries with pear thingy. Sparkling-something sodas are really my weakness.   

Working Out 5 Days a Week

Not traveling means that I have no excuses to slack off at the gym. I don't over-eat during the festive season, so my abs are still here! Ha. Before the night thunderstorms return, I'd better get my exercise schedule in order and optimize that gym membership.

I work out five days a week. That's not an issue at all. I would do six days, but I need to rest aching muscles. I'll say it again, if your muscles don't ache once in two weeks or so, then you're not loading heavy enough or doing new moves and work the deeper muscles or target the obliques that we rarely use in daily movements. 

I don't need two hours in the gym on weights or machines. I only need 45 minutes to an hour each time. I'm not fond of doing back-to-back classes. Working out for two hours is crazy when I'm not in a profession that requires an insane amount of bulking up or flexibility. 

I still eat carbs, but I don't over-do it anymore. I've eased off on my alcohol even more. That sugar really fattens up the abs. NO GOOD. I really can't drink much and still hit the gym the next day at full strength. A mild hangover interferes with how heavy I can lift. I don't like that feeling of not being 90% when I'm not down with a flu bug or something. I do have vertigo that interferes with the exercise regime now and then. I can only try to keep it at bay, and this seems to mean less alcohol.

I've started this five-day schedule (again) in September 2024. This is how I prefer to pace out the different exercises that my body likes. I've managed to keep to it for months. I'm striving to keep to it this year too.

• Monday - personal training with Coach. That means weights and loads of weights. Heavy.
• Tuesday - BodyPump or some form of easy weights and cardio to stretch out. Medium weights but loads of movement. OR a 2.5km quick swim. 
• Wednesday- GRID format class similar to many gyms' offerings. Depending on the week, it's either horrible cardio or weights.
• Thursday - Pilates 
• Friday - Gyrotonic

Okay 2025 Q1, let's do this.

Sushi with O

When O rustled up an impromptu lunch, we went to Miyu for some easy proteins and carbs. I like its reasonable pricing. Sure, you might not get the best cuts of fish here, and the rice isn't at the quality I expect but at least it's tasty. For the prices, the quality at Miyu is decent enough. 

There're smaller lunch bento in terms of tuna maki, wagyu beef cheek or unagi, et cetera; those come with a small salad and a miso soup. That's perfect for any casual lunches. Today, O and I opted for the $98++ omakase set because we honestly can't eat that much nowadays. 

Our chosen set comes with soup and some cooked items, ten pieces of sushi and a handroll, and a mini bowl of chirashi. I was stuffed. We already requested for less rice in our sushi and such. Hehehe. O still loves tuna and enjoyed her otoro sushi. I don't bother with tuna-anything. So the chefs replaced all my fish with alternatives which were fine. Shima aji is always welcomed. I popped an antihistamine so I didn't mind the amaebi and kuruma prawn.

I really shouldn't have, but I caved and had a glass of highball. Heh. It wasn't heavy lah. It went fairly well with the ika tempura and the oilier fish. Hanging out with O is always great. We've been friends for like... almost three decades. OMG. We don't always get to match our schedules; her work travels take her away for months on end. But we can do this four times a year. Heh.