Category Archives: Fun

Barre Pro + Good Health Gone Viral

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Last night I had an… interesting night of sleep. It was pretty warm out so I (very uncharacteristically) was not bundled up to my neck in layers of down comforter and duvet. I got hot, and stuck my arms out, circa midnight I would estimate.

Around 3am, I woke up with a start, my arms itching like crazy. Still half-asleep I thought to myself “I’ll kill that little bastard mosquito in the morning.”

Two minutes later I felt something on my face.

Four minutes after that I’d had enough and bolted up and into the bathroom.

“AHHHHHH that little shit bit me on the inside of my lip!“

Boyfriend, in all of his 3:27am glory found this to be hysterically funny. I looked like I got punched in the face/was given a dose of Novocaine on one side of my face meant for an animal the size of an elephant.

Not the face, not the face, not the face.

After thoroughly checking the entire apartment for traces of the virus-carrying parasite (mosquito), I was pleasantly surprised to see it had met its (more-than) timely demise, as a result of me slapping myself in the face when I felt the little bastard on my freshly exfoliated face.

I popped a Benadryl (for the antihistamine benefits as well as the sleep-inducing ones), pulled the covers up to my ears, cursed the entire species of mosquitos, dropped a few f-bombs, and went back to sleep before waking up at 7:33am for an 8am surf inspired Barre Pro class.

I looked in the mirror and winced. The left side of my mouth drooped down, and was so puffy on the inside, I imagine it’s how one feels after getting sucker punched in the face.

I made it up to the studio, told everyone who would listen that yes I am aware my mouth looks like they OD-ed me on Novocaine, and no they didn’t, and yes it’s the result of a vicious mosquito attack.

I have a confession – I’ve never taken a Barre class before at my studio. Bar Method with all of its “tucking” scarred me for life. This class though… kicked my booty. I loved it.

Barre classes have always intimidates me because I a) have no coordination and b) have no rhythm. (You should have seen me in dance classes in high school.) Today, I felt really comfortable, and the always wonderful Tricia walked us through each exercise before we began, and then proceeded to do it with us (which in my opinion really helps to get the moves down correctly), and I had a great time. My legs felt like jello when I left, and I felt like my entire lack of coordination didn’t hinder me at all. It helped that she put together an entire surf-inspired playlist (think Beach Boys and Jimmy Buffet) and I was rocking out in my head the entire time.

I was dripping sweat (you’re welcome for the visual) and had such a fantastic workout. Luckily I’ve already convinced a great friend (coughALIcough) to join me next week. I promise you La Boulange coffee after :)

(photo by Tricia)

(Sidebar: Speaking of La Boulange, I popped in for an iced coffee this morning, and frantically asked the manager if they would be changing anything about their coffee now that Starbucks paid $100 million for quality coffee owns them. Answer: Yes, they are changing their coffee and it will be a La Boulange-Starbucks blend. My friends it’s time to stock up on La Boulange coffee beans now and freeze them. I hope boyfriend doesn’t mind missing out on the freezer space.) ;-)

Good Health Gone Viral

I have this wonderful friend that I met through our previous company, and I am VERY excited for her and all of the new adventures she is taking – she’s started a blog, and is in the process of starting a business in the health and wellness space, called Blume. We ran the Kaiser Half-Marathon together, and she is an amazing resource into health topics and conversation, and writes really thought provoking-articles. I love it already.
A brief idea of what it’s all about:
Every single person on the planet has a health story. We all want to share and discover healthy tips easily and quickly with our friends. Where do we notoriously look first? The internet. But we don’t have a medical Google, or a Facebook, or a Pinterest, or an Amazon in a single integrated and trusted place. Blume is that destination. For U.

Today is a catalyst in getting Blume off the ground and I need YOUR help to get the buzz going. I’ve launched a landing page where my goal is to collect as many email addresses as possible. Not 50, not 100, not 500, but thousands. Yes, thousands! And I can’t do without you.

So, here’s how you can help:

  1. Enter your email address in the landing page here. You will then be prompted to share the landing page on Facebook and/or LinkedIn. This is what will make ALL the difference! 
  2. “Like” my Facebook page here and join the conversation as you see fit.
  3. Follow my blog here.

If you have a minute, she (and I – this will be such an amazing resource for everyone!) would so appreciate if you could enter your email address on her landing page and like her Facebook page.

Thanks everyone! :)

The Weekend, Briefly

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Hello hello. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend! What was the best part?

Ours started off pretty relaxing – pizza, beer and movies. (Let it be known I made it about 17 minutes into the movie before I was out like a light on the couch.) We picked up a 4-pack (apparently they make those?) of gluten-free beer, and I have to say, I was a fan. If you try it – don’t go into it thinking it’s going to taste as prefect as a Corona- because it won’t. At all. But for a beer made with zero wheat? I’d buy the (so very overpriced) 4-pack again!

What was not GF? The pizza. We had a Whole Wheat Trader Joe’s dough, and I didn’t feel like making a seperate trip for some GF dough. So I ate it. (Also let it be known this was my absolute, hands-down, best homemade pizza of my career.) The key (we think) was letting the dough sit out for an hour, using a 4-cheese blend, and spreading pesto on the crust. Perfection my friends.

My taste buds were all “YEAH! Gluten! This crust is so darn good”, and my stomach was like “Eff you, I will destroy you tomorrow”. The taste buds won the battle, but the stomach won the war. I’ll just leave it at that.

Saturday morning started early with Jaime on our favorite 7.5 trail loop (the weather was gorgeous in SF that day), and then boyfriend and I helped his mom move some boxes (my shoulders were feeling it the next day!), walked to Crissy Field for a graduation BBQ (congrats Nurse April!), and I, shockingly enough, crashed out on the couch around 10pm.

Yesterday we slept in, I taught two classes (hope you people are sore today!) and then we headed to the ‘burbs to celebrate my dad with some US Open/NBA Finals/Red Sox game viewing.

But I should add there were not one, but two perfect pups at the studio this morning.

We enjoyed a grilled father’s day spread – grilled corn, tri-tip, wild salmon, and a spinach/strawberry/almond/goat cheese salad with a homemade strawberry dressing. I scraped my plate clean it was so darn good. Well done (as always!) mom.

No trip home is complete without a reference/mention/viewing of/talking about the Red Sox.

Speaking of teaching - I LOVE IT. Seriously, I look forward to my classes. I love putting together choreography, and leading people through a kick-ass workout. I can’t wait for my classes this week.

Which are:

Thursday AM - 6:20, 7:10 (there are showers/blowdryers at the studio if you want to come in before work and head to work straight after!)

Sunday AM- 11am, 12pm – Marina

Come in for a class!

Run

This morning I headed to the gym and ran 11 miles at an 8:20 average pace.  (I had 2 People Magazines to get through, and a very big interest in both Drew Barrymore and Matthew McConaghey’s weddings. Also it appears that Reese Witherspoon is the most popular person in Hollywood since she got the invites to both of these festivities. In case you’re wondering yes I do ponder things like this. In your face Ryan Phillipe).

I felt fantastic. I ran the first few miles at an 8:34 pace and then once I was warmed up, I felt confident and strong… so I decided to push my limits a bit. I ran the last mile and a half at 8:03 and bumped the last quarter-mile to a 7:44 pace. I swear my legs have probably been able to do this all along and it really was my stubborn, you-can’t-run-fast mind that was holding me back. Push your limits friends… you are capable of more than you think. Maybe it feels uncomfortable (and yes, it probably will at least the first couple of times), but once you feel everything begin to click and fall into place – the overwhelming feeling of satisfaction, and that “I DID IT” is more-than-worth any excess huffing and puffing and “holy sh!t this pace hurts and I want to slow down to make it more comfortable.”

Just try it. (Then tell me how it went – I’m right there with you… telling my mind to STFU so my legs can just run.)

At the end of my run I still felt strong, and my legs definitely had something left in them. I decided not to push it, since I want to run hard and strong all week, and to leave it at that. Still though, I couldn’t help but be both impressed/proud of myself for holding a pace I never would have imagined I could hold… for 11 miles. Watch your back CIM.

On the way home, “You Gotta Be” by Desree came on the radio. Am I the only one that loved the movie “The Object of My Affection” starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd and thinks of that movie every time I hear that song?

Also the little girl who plays Jennifer Aniston’s daughter/sings the song? Haley Dunphee from Modern Family. Tell me that didn’t just blow your mind. (Link to the video is here)

Anyway.

I refueled after my run with one of my homemade veggie burgers on brown rice bread (dense consistency but I actually really liked it toasted with goat cheese!), and my favorite salad ever – Trader Joe’s Super Spinach. Highly recommended for an on-the-go, bring-to-work lunch. Or if you just like convenience. Like me. It’s got spinach, pumpkin seeds, edamame, garbanzo beans, dried cranberries, shredded carrots (like so thin you don’t know they’re there), and quinoa with a seriously addictive ginger carrot miso dressing. Oh it also has cherry tomatoes but I (obviously) pick those out and forget they exist.

Hit the spot.

I don’t teach today so I took the afternoon to clean the entire apartment top-to-bottom (I contemplated eating my snack off the floors they are sparkling), run errands, and organize myself for the week ahead. I teach Thurs-Sunday this week, and I know it’s going to get busy.

Hope you had a great weekend!

Do you have any Father’s Day traditions?

Did you race this weekend? Workout? What’d you do?

Ever try gluten-free beer?

Happy Father’s Day!

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Hope you’re all enjoying your weekend. I don’t normally post on weekends but being that today is special, and my dad reads the blog, I wanted to write a little something.

Happy Father’s Day to the man who:

  • Never misses a Red Sox game (or the chance to yell at the TV)
  • Instilled a strong work ethic and taught me if I want something, to go get it
  • Took me to my first baseball game
  • Is always in my corner
  • Was on the sideline at every soccer game, softball game and swim meet for 15+ years
  • Cheered his face off for me at the finish line of my first marathon
  • Sends me daily news articles about work/life/running/restaurants/etc
  • Will do anything for his family
  • Can rattle off any stat about any baseball game played in any year
  • Gives me daily advice
  • Reminds me constantly that “a clean car is a happy car”
  • Visited multiple colleges in multiple states with me
  • Is always up for an adventure
  • Flew with me to London when I studied abroad to make sure everything went smoothly (and found the best Italian restaurant in Knightsbridge)
  • Believes in everything I do
  • Loves his family to the end of the earth and back

Happy Father’s Day Dad! (And to all of the other fathers out there!) Can’t wait to celebrate you today!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Hour-By-Hour

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HAPPY THURSDAY! :) I’m not sure why I felt that necessitated all caps, but we’re one day away from the weekend, SF is still experiencing this freak heat wave that I wish would stay forever, Matt Cain pitched a PERFECT GAME for the Giants last night, and I’m riding quite the endorphin high right now so let’s just go with it.

Today started out early. And just kept on going. Allow me to explain.

5:15 am - Alarm #1 goes off. Luckily I’ve been up since about 4:27am having nightmares about opening up the Pilates studio by myself. (They ranged from – I forgot where I parked my car, the studio getting raided by police, me teaching the class outdoors because I forgot my keys, and so on and so forth.) Snooze gets hit.

5:18 am - Boyfriend: Didn’t your alarm just go off? Me: Mmmm Hmmm, I’ll get up in a minute. Boyfriend: You don’t want to be late… (AKA the nicest way possible to say “I got into bed around midnight, it’s now 5 hours later, let me sleep woman.”)

5:21 am - Second alarm goes off. OK I get it, I’m up. Stumble blindly into kitchen, heat up water for coffee.

5:27 am - Pour scalding hot water into French Press. Refuse to think about anything aside from getting coffee into my system as quickly as possible. Proceed to burn the ish out of my tongue.

5:43 am - Dressed, teeth brushed, face washed, coffee in to-go tumbler. Quadruple check for keys.

5:57 am - Get in car. Take note that it’s deceptively light outside these days. Praise the gods of summertime.

6:10 am - Arrive at Pilates Studio. Find parking right out front (duh it’s 6am). March empty coffee tumbler across the street to Peets. Demand refill. (Nicely). Pay for refill.

6:14 am - Sigh with great relief when keys work and actually open the doors. Stomp foot on ground when you realize the iPad is dead. Plug in iPad and give a self-five for remembering to make an awesome playlist for occasions like this.

6:20 am - Teach first Pilates class of day. Make them sweat.

7:06 am - Inhale banana (that I paid $1.25 for at Peets – really?) and Two Degrees bar for breakfast.

7:10 am - Teach second Pilates class of day. Make them sweatier.

8:36 am - Head to gym. Start new Kindle book. Tell myself I’ll run until I feel tired. 3 miles turns into 7, which turns into 11 beautiful, sweaty miles. At an 8:34 pace the entire time. Self-five x2.

10:36am - Leave gym. Receive text asking for a sub for 6pm class tonight. Um, duh.

11:07 am - Head home. Get cut off by three Muni buses. Rage inside my car. Running endorphins take over. Happy happy happy Kristine.

12 pm - Take Pilates Community Class. Get ideas for tonight’s class.

1:45 – 5:23 pm - Inhale Green Smoothie and TJ’s Black Bean and Corn Enchiladas. (Surprisingly delicious together, but also I was too hungry to really notice anything.) Shower. Clean apartment. Sit on couch zoning out to television for an hour. Eat again. Choreograph tonight’s class. Goal – make them cry. (Kidding. Just their muscles.)

5:30 pm - Arrive to Pilates obnoxiously early. Over-analyze the class I spent an hour creating. Internal dialogue – “was it 1 red spring or 1 blue?” THE HORROR.

6pm – 7pm - Teach the most fun class I’ve taught yet. Make them sweat. A lot. Play “Call Me Maybe.” Make them smile. A lot. Catch myself humming under my breath. Stop this behavior before anyone notices.

8pm – bedtime – Pick boyfriend up from gym. Eat dinner (prosciutto, sliced Dubliner chedder, berries, apples, hummus, chips, steamed edamame). Watch TV and relax. For once do the dishes before my “nap” on the couch. Sleep is coming next.

Quite the busy day but I wouldn’t have changed a thing. I’m so darn happy teaching and being around all of these awesome people all day long, I probably have this giddy and obnoxious smile on my face 24/7… and I’m probably starting to creep some people out. (Sorry, I’m not sorry.)

With that – it’s time for bed. My legs are snug in their compression sleeves, and it’s time for me to catch some Z’s.

Hope you have a wonderful night! When we wake up (which for me, will not be in the 5am hour)- it’s FRIDAY! :)

Favorites As of Late…

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Happy Friday! Hope you have a great weekend in store. This post was supposed to go up this morning post-7.5 mile trail run, but due to a “service outage” in the area (thanks Comcast, I bet that doesn’t happen to DirecTV customers), I was without cable/internet for the better part of the day.

Luckily that just meant a Whole Foods hot bar lunch date with boyfriend, torturing myself at the SPCA (was it black labrador day there or something? SERIOUSLY), and scoring some new finds at Sports Basement for me. We have some friends in town tonight, the Giant’s game tomorrow, and some Escape from Alcatraz spectating/celebrating with friends participating on Sunday. Should be a great weekend!

I thought I’d bring back the old Friday Favorites… revamped.

What are some of your favorites of late?

Some favorites as of late:

Fresh cocktails.

Ever since eating at Starlite in San Diego and trying my first mule, I’ve been completely and utterly in love. This is the most refreshing and delicious cocktail I’ve ever had. The copper mug is essential. It keeps the drink freezing cold. And makes it a lot more fun to drink.

Fresh flowers.

Last week’s blooms were a hydrangea and lilac bouquet and sun beams from Trader Joes. This week? Gorgeous hot pink Peonies (my FAVORITE!) from Costco of all places. Borderline addiction to fresh flowers.

Homemade Gluten-Free Pizza.

Just because the gluten was halted, doesn’t mean my love for homemade pizza had to be! I’ve been buying the Bob’s Red Mill brand and I love it. It’s so good, and if you didn’t tell me it was gluten-free I probably wouldn’t know. But I also have an unnatural love for pizza so take what you will out of that.

Brooks Pure Flows

Now there’s a big surprise.

Other People’s Pets

Again, big shock. Boyfriend and I puppy-sat our friend Ali’s adorable Corgi Puddles yesterday. And suffice it to say we are completely in love and need our own. ASAP.

The golden? I have no idea who owns him but we bonded on the street. Then I hugged him. The bulldog? Again, no idea but his name was Walker and he was sitting outside a sign that said 2-drink minimum. It’s a requirement to take a picture of that.

Running Gear/Fuel

Surprise, surprise. Shopping + running all rolled into one.

After trying Nuun after  particularly trying 7.5 mile trail run this morning with Jaime, I was sold. Also this Raw Crunch bar Jaime had on hand. Amazing. 150 calories. Real food. SO tasty.

I immediately picked up 3 tubes of Nuun. I clearly don’t fuel correctly on my training runs (1 Gu on a long run, regardless of distance, water only at water fountains so I’m changing it up this year – Nuun Water Bottles, honey packets, ShotBloks). Sports Basement in SOMA was also carrying Lauren Fleishman’s Picky Bars (Gluten-Free! Woo Hoo!), which I’ve been wanting to try. Lastly, my trusty black, Nike DriFit hat that faithfully served me every run of the way through last year’s marathon training bit the dust (the velcro stopped velcro-ing), so it was time for version 2.0. Serve me well my friend. (The Builders Bars are boyfriends – Vanilla Almond is not an easy flavor to find anywhere.)

And the Two Degrees bars are not a new find, but they are a favorite. Think of them as the Tom’s of all-natural bars – they feed a child with every bar purchased. They’re Vegan, Gluten-Free, and based in SF too.

Friday Afternoon Happy Hour

Give me some Gruyère, fresh parmesan, fruit, chips, hummus and fresh cocktails (the agave, lime juice, tequila margaritas mentioned in this post are being made as we speak – thanks boyfriend!) and I’m a very happy girl.

Have a great weekend! If you’re racing – good luck! If you’re doing Escape – GREAT luck! That sand ladder killed me today and I hadn’t just swam in from Alcatraz and biked around the city.