The Aspiring RD

It’s a bittersweet day today. May 1st marks the final issue of The Friedman Sprout that I will be contributing to. I am graduating from Friedman on May 20th, and it’s time to move on to new publications and pass the Sprout torch on to new writers.

I remember reading the first issue of The Sprout when I was accepted to Friedman, and thinking “I really want to write for this paper.” And when I started at Friedman, I did. Then, after my first few issues I thought, “I want to edit this paper.” And in my 2nd year at Friedman, I did.

Then I thought, “how exactly do I want to leave my final mark on The Friedman Sprout?” I considered tackling a controversial nutrition debate, interviewing key scientists, or writing a strongly worded opinion piece on the latest nutrition gossip in the popular press.

Instead, I decided to take you all down to Chinatown.

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Last summer, the Friedman school very famously closed the meager cafe in the Jaharis building and replaced it with some depressing vending machines. Although there is a cafe in the library across from Friedman, students felt discouraged by the fact that we lacked healthy lunch choices on our campus.

However, if you’ve been to the Friedman “campus” you’ll realize that it consists of one building. Located smack dab in the middle of Chinatown. So rather than wallow in the loss of pre-packaged chef salads, I coerced my good friend Allison to start exploring the offerings on the other side of Kneeland Street.

After 4 months of researching, planning and eating, I created a review of the 13 best lunch spots in Boston’s Chinatown.

A couple highlights of the findings…

* Irashai Sushi – Best place to over-order on sushi and work your hardest to complete every delicious bite

3 Roll Lunch Combo at Irashai Sushi

* Mei Sum Inc – Best sandwich for prompting everyone in Jaharis to say “where’d you get that?!”

Tofu Banh Mi at Mei Sum Inc.

* Gourmet Dumpling House – Hands down, best vegetable dumplings ever eaten

Vegetable Dumplings, Eggplant Basil, and Steamed Vegetable Buns at Gourmet Dumpling House

For the rest of the reviews, pictures, and “Best of,” head on over to The Friedman Sprout for the full story. While you’re there, check out tips for Comfort in the Cubicle, a 101 Guide to Composting in the City, and an update on The Active Schools Acceleration Project of ChildhoodObesity180, a super exciting initiative coming out of the John Hancock Research Center at Tufts.

The past few days have been exciting and just a little bit sad. It was almost exactly 3 years ago that I left my corporate job in finance to pursue this dream of studying at Tufts, going on to a dietetic internship, and eventually starting my own nutrition communications business. At that time, I really had no idea what I was facing or even what it was going to take to get as far as I have. The ARD was a mere pipe dream, an idea I toyed with, and writing a blog was something I aspired to, not something I actually did.

But now, The ARD is real. And I want to thank you all for your support of this site, but also for your support of me. As I finish my last days at Tufts, I am sad to see this period of my life coming to a close, but am excited for all the new projects and plans I can start developing. What I mean is, I’m ready for the next part of this ride and I hope you’re coming along too.

- The Aspiring RD

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