It may be a little late in the year for New Year’s resolutions, but now is the right time to get healthy. As a traveling stand-up comedienne I find few healthy options on the road. About a year ago I had a couple of blood tests done and it was discovered that my cholesterol was teetering on the high end. August marks the date of my high school reunion, and after going from a size 8 to a size 14 (now 10) it feels like the right time to get healthy. My goal and personal challenge is to lose 20 lbs. and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Issaquah’s Vino Bella has delicious veggie sandwiches and the best potato salad in town!This week marked six shows in the Seattle area. I was blessed with fantastic audiences and great venues, such as Vino Bella in Issaquah. Vino Bella has a fantastic menu, but the item that I fell for was the potato salad, which the owner’s sister makes each morning. It’s the perfect combination of egg salad and potato. It comes on the side of each sandwich plate but steals the show. Vino Bella has a warm feel and had a great atmosphere for comedy, as it’s a wine bar and everyone was enjoying a glass. My weekend was spent in Bremerton at the Cloverleaf , performing four benefit shows, two for baseball leagues and two for Relay for Life. One of the most memorable moments was meeting the “fah-get about it” king of Kitsap County, The Don.The Don waving locals and tourists into Boston’s The owner of Bremerton’s Boston’s Deli and Pizza, The Don is a murderer of diets (I slipped substantially from mine) and a catalyst for making men sleep on the couch. One of The Don’s habits is asking men who are on dates why their girlfriends aren’t wearing wedding rings. (Bah-dump-bump!) The Don is easily spotted at Boston’s as a louder gentleman, oftentimes wearing a baseball hat of a beloved Boston team with dark brown hair coming out the back. I originally went to Boston’s for a salad, but made my way towards the rotating pizza section. I had every intention of eating healthy, but the smell of the pizza was like a siren song sung by Taylor Swift; as much as you don’t want to give in, a part of you is going to tap along to the beat. It’s also that same part of you that eats ice cream after a break up. Who can resist the calzone’s siren song? My boyfriend and I asked, what kind of calzones the Don served. The Don replied intensely, “Real!” How do you argue with the Don? It’s almost mortifying to order just a salad. In fear of suffering the embarrassment of letting him down, we split a calzone and a large Greek salad with homemade Italian dressing. The calzone was packed with a cornucopia of tastes, including: black forest ham, pepperoni, mozzarella, Italian sausage, capicolla, ricotta, parmesan, romano, garlic, oregano, salami and provolone with a side of marinara sauce. The downside of attempting to eat the meaty masterpiece is eating with a plastic knife and fork. It becomes a race against the clock to keep the precious pocket steaming while shoveling at the same time.

Don’t judge, veggies were also eaten!The Don was quick to entertain by the counter and upsold us on a cannoli by describing its magical properties. Apparently, ladies, if you are close to letting loose a bun from your oven, hop the ferry to Boston’s, as the last three pregnant women to partake in his cannoli popped that night! You know you’ve fallen off the wagon when your mouth is dusted with the white powder from a fresh cannoli. It’s like a milk mustache of failure–delicious, delicious failure. Don’t make the mistake of thinking Boston’s is just for lunch and dinner. The Don has created a breakfast concoction called the Western Omelette, a pizza strong enough to knock out any hangover; scrambled eggs, cheddar, ham, bacon, onions, green peppers, and mushrooms. The legend of The Don goes back 6 years. When Don “The Don” Stauff moved from Boston to Bremerton and purchased a bagel shop, he ditched the bagels for pies and decided to bring a slice of Boston home by painting a mural of Fenway Park in the side room.The Don snuffed the fancy espresso machine from his bagel days to plain coffee. “You like coffee?” the Don asked. “No,” I replied.”You don’t like coffee?” he gasped. “Not into it,” I said. “Are you a Mormon?!” the Don asked. “No,” I replied. “Are you sure, cause that’s going around and you may not know!” he said.