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  • strength training

    Regularly, inspiration for the day’s post comes from my workout or menu, often from readers and occasionally, my muse appears in the form of an old man. When that occurs, I have no choice but to whip out my phone and grab a few notes. While at the track by my house to get in…

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  • sample recipe

    My editor and partner at Kaplifestyle, Stephanie, comes on. Take it away, Steph.  A few weeks ago, Gabe posted about the benefits of galangal, a rhizome I used in my Thai soup. Several requests came in for the recipe. The soup is my version of Tom Kha Gai (chicken galangal soup). As we’ve spoken about…

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  • Chicken Coop

    I have a dream, and it’s unrelated to race or gender equality. It’s not about peace in the Middle East, and it has nothing to do with anything philanthropic. I want chickens. Lots of them. I want to eat freshly laid eggs every morning, and I want to make chicken soup. I will have a chicken…

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  • Bell Peppers

    Most folks think the only difference between red, green, yellow and orange bell peppers is the color. This is preposterous. As absurd as writing a blog post on the topic? Perhaps not. I eat bell peppers like apples. Teammates and coworkers look at me strangely when I do, but I’m unashamed of the peculiarities in…

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  • Combating Work Stress

    If you’ve lost your creative magic, try carving out some time for yourself. It can be a bear to establish a line between working and relaxing. With smartphones, laptops and always-on communication methods, it is simple to get caught in a never ending work cycle. Our occupation becomes a treadmill, and we can easily end…

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  • Food Energy and Eggplant

    The energy of food, just like its attractiveness and tastiness in general, is subjective. Don’t believe the hype. I love my friend Susie, Boston’s best health coach. You remember her from our popular post on the many benefits of coconut oil. Susie is all holistic and stuff. She once told me that eating apples after…

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  • Pork Chops

    The pork chop doesn’t get enough love relative to its meaty peers. Think about it, you open the menu and you have a choice; the flashy bone in rib eye or a staid pork chop. You rarely grab the latter. While cruising the supermarket lanes, the seafood section calls and the salmon wins out. The…

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  • Gabe Kapler – Page 5

    We often develop our appreciation for things based on the habits of somebody we love and respect. Our hobbies, the food we like, the activities we enjoy…we are computers, and our programming is largely influenced by the people closest to us beginning from an early age. For those of us in leadership positions (and that’s…

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  • coffee

    I’ve always thought coffee shouldn’t taste like fruit. I’ve generally preferred chocolate, toffee and vanilla notes. Today, I experienced a brew that conjured up strawberry pie. The flavor was extraordinary, and my mind was stretched. A mind, once expanded by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions. This post has little to do…

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  • Enjoying Life’s Pleasures – Alcohol and Fitness

    Dear inquisitive and intelligent drinker, Liquor is like cheesecake – rich and delectable, an extraordinary sensory experience if the quantity and quality is spot on; downright nauseating if the quality is poor and the amount gluttonous. I can’t think of a single reason why a healthy minded and bodied adult of legal age shouldn’t enjoy…

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I aim to plan and consciously choose all of my indulgences. I have the knowledge and willpower to do so, but occasionally, I will have a substantial misfire.

I was in Boston, my home away from home, for the 2004 World Series reunion. I splurged nutritionally as I had intended, but I didn’t map out my large nutritional stumble while watching the game.

I had it all pre-navigated. My two men (12 and 14) and I love to experience travel through food. We think it’s the most efficient and interesting way to explore the culture of a city. We discussed the trip ahead of time and decided on three restaurants where we would fully indulge and eat like kings. We’d start with the team dinner at a fine steak and seafood house, follow it up with breakfast the next morning at a bakery, and finish it out with lunch at a tapas joint in the South End.

The first night the three of us shared bone in filets, swordfish steaks, oysters, giant shrimp, crab cakes, lamb chops, chocolate cake, apple crisps and cold vanilla ice cream. I enjoyed a few glasses of whiskey, neat, and my boys drank Sprite. We left the restaurant 1 for 1. Remember, this indulgence was planned.

The next morning, we went to a bakery suggested by a Boston-based chef friend. The boys picked up scones and French toast; I scored big with a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on a crusty roll with spinach and tomato. The bite came complete with a Dijon mustard finish that struck a chord with me, managing to last all day. 2 at bats, 2 knocks.

After mobbing around on the T train all morning, making our way to Harvard and back to Downtown Crossing, we landed at our destination for lunch, Toro. Theo Epstein made the recommendation after I mentioned that my boys and I were on a food adventure. This is the guy who went out to get the “washed up” 2002 version of David Ortiz, so he’s proven his scouting mettle. If he thinks it’s a worthwhile trip, I’ll take his advice.

Back to food.

Rather than turn this post into a restaurant review, I’ll keep it simple. I had an out of body experience. Every small plate that arrived was visually captivating and stunning on the palate. We sprinted the gamut. From spicy curry beef empanadas to cauliflower with golden raisins and pine nuts to the pièce de résistance, roasted bone marrow with radish citrus salad and oxtail marmalade. This dish, holy fuck. Our waiter described it exquisitely as “like rich, hot, beef flavored butter.” I was now 3 for 3 and ready for my final at bat.

A theme throughout this entire trip was advance planning. My first mistake was not preparing for this final meal. I figured my boys and I would just eat at the ballpark and didn’t put much thought into it. I knew that the options would be plentiful and come in large quantities. I wasn’t necessarily wrong, but I quickly got off course.

I was running around at Fenway from this place to that, answering questions and meeting folks. My boys were on their own and already up in the suite by the time I arrived around the start of the first inning. They had eaten pizza, snacks and fruit, totally what I expected for them. I walked in starving, my second mistake.  I reached for a plate and piled on decent looking veggies, a huge mound of guacamole, and the only available protein, stale fried chicken strips. I could have reached into my bag and opened a can of wild caught salmon. I didn’t. My defenses were down. I hadn’t snacked. I ingested that garbage and suffered strike one.

You know my stance on processed foods. Those frozen chunks of flour covered meat product provide little nutritional value. I had already experienced a whirlwind day filled with emotion and exertion, and the pizza under the heat lamp began to look lovely.

I advocate indulgence, but I advocate planned, quality indulgence. This was neither. I scarfed down a piece and the drugs hit my bloodstream. I couldn’t chew fast enough. Strike two.

The final pitch of the at bat came in and I chased it. I scarfed down a few more slices, knowing even as I did so that it wasn’t my finest hour.

3 for 4. In baseball that’s a hell of a day. Nutritionally, I expect 4 for 4s from myself almost always. I’m in control, so the high bar is appropriately set. Rather than dwell on it, I’ll do what Manny tells us to do after a rough at bat. “Turn the page, papi.”

I write this from the plane the following morning. I’ve turned the page. Today, I’ve ingested steel cut oats, fresh organic blueberries, a pile of kale, a chunk of a ham steak, a few fresh scrambled eggs and organic black coffee.

In my bag, I have a large salad with tons of fresh veggies, almonds, chicken, organic Hannah yams. I also still have that wild salmon I passed over for pizza in a box.

I’m back on track. I remember last night’s at bat and will make the adjustment without carrying the emotion of yesterday over into today’s game.

I hope you’ll share your stories of strikeouts or home runs in the comments section below.

Kap