The Hot Yoga Spot

Work travel is in full swing and this week I find myself in Saratoga Springs, NY. The Hot Yoga Spot is minutes away from my hotel and I've enjoyed two classes there. One was a real 90 minute, actually did all the postures twice and all of the savasanas in between the postures Bikram Yoga class. I loved it. It's practically impossible to find a real class anymore.

The other class was called Baptiste Yoga. I only went to it because I didn't get out of the last conference session to attend the Bikram class, but I ended up really liking it. It's in a heated room but not as hot as Bikram. There are a lot of sun salutations and I haven't done downward dog in like 5 years so my shoulders were on fire.

Everyone at The Hot Yoga Spot is really nice and welcoming. They have two studios - one for Bikram and the other for their other yoga classes and their barre classes. It is clean and I couldn't find any stinky carpet. I think we all know how grossed out I am by carpet in general, let alone carpet that people sweat on for 90 minutes.

Parking can be a little confusing. There's a small lot across the street slash behind the studio. There's also Saratoga Springs downtown public parking a short walk away.

The new student unlimited week special is $25. They let me take advantage of it even though I don't live locally.

Bikram Yoga Roslyn

Two years ago, I was visiting my parents in New York for a couple of weeks and I went to Bikram Yoga Roslyn. It was a really rough time. I had recently been attacked, and I had stopped sleeping. Not sleeping will drive you insane. I was fighting a lot with my then boyfriend, I knew I was getting laid off, and I felt like I had wasted a year of my life in Atlanta by not making any friends. I walk into the studio, not knowing anyone, and I met Keith. He made me feel so welcomed and I really needed a friend that week.

Keith and I have kept in touch and we got to practice together on Saturday! He really is the best because he got up at the ass crack of dawn to go to the 7:30 AM class because I had an early afternoon flight. Mary Griffin taught class and it was lovely.

Mothertucker!

My mom is pretty badass. She goes to Pure Barre six days a week AND she also does cardio at her conventional gym. I came up north for two days of AmeriCorps training in Trenton, NJ, and I obviously decided to make a stop in New York for an almost free trip to visit my mama. (I paid for my LIRR train ticket thank you very much.) The benefits of being able to work anywhere with a WiFi connection are clutch.

My mom takes me with her to Pure Barre Huntington Village when I'm staying at the family homestead. Today's class wasn't particularly difficult but I enjoyed spending some quality time with her just the same.

It turns out that my mom has some serious fan girls at PB. They told me that her work ethic, agelessness, and beauty motivates them in class. My mom is very good at Pure Barre and she inspires me, so I get it.

I met her friend Laura, who is adorably sweet. She recently started Pure Barre and has already joined the 100 Club! Laura has sick shoulders and they are very mobile. I kept staring at her form in the mirror and was like, dang it woman, teach me your ways!

My mom refused to take a selfie with me but said we could take a picture of our socks. Clearly she doesn't care about my social media presence.

The family that tucks together looks a hell of a lot better in their spandex.

The Crossings of Colonie

Guys, I found the coolest park full of running paths on Wednesday morning. I flew up to Albany Tuesday night for yet another AmeriCorps program director training and they have us staying at the Radisson on Wolf Road. The Crossings Park is a 130-acre public park in Colonie, which I believe is a suburb of Albany. Fun fact - I spent two years of my life researching the Capitol District and Western New York when I did new site development for Teach For America, and I randomly know the zip codes of a bunch of suburbs. I also know that you're never supposed to say Upstate New York unless you want to offend someone who might give you money.

My plan was to run 2 miles and then figure out how to get back to the main road so I could stop at Dunkin Donuts for my 32 oz iced coffee. When I don't want to get up and run, I find it helpful to build in a fix for my iced coffee addiction and then I walk back caffeinated and happy. The weather was beautiful, i.e. sunny and cool, and the park had so many trails that I was able to complete an easy 5 mile run. I was pretty pleased with myself even if I did get lost in the woods.

I didn't bring my phone because I am the worst blogger on the interwebs. I fully intended to get back to take some photos but it rained yesterday and we had a 7 AM start time today (like what in the actual fuck?) so y'all don't get any photos of this idyllic place. Maybe it will motivate you to go check it out yourself the next time you're in Albany.

But here is the front of the hotel so you can see that the trees are changing colors!

Fran at Reebok CrossFit Fifth Ave

Way back in 2013, I was sleeping with this guy who was really into CrossFit. He routinely asked me how many doubleunders I could do, and the answer was always zero. He was a member at Reebok 5th Ave and he invited me to drop-in with him pretty often. I always said no because I was ashamed that I had gotten so out of shape. I made many poor decisions, including sleeping with him, and ordering a ridiculous amount of Chinese food instead of going to the gym. He told me that if I ever got a 5 minute Fran time, he would publicly declare me superior to him and buy me a tiara. The relationship ended terribly, but it was the catalyst I needed to turn my life around. I signed up for my own CrossFit box and now I have friends and I say nice things to them and let them say nice things to me. I can't even relate to Tilikum anymore.

I was back in New York last week and I got to work out with two of my favorite CrossFit loves, Abby and Svetlana. They now go to Reebok 5th Ave, and ironically the workout of the day was Fran. It's been three years and I have now dropped at 5th Ave and I can easily do 100 unbroken doubleunders. I do not have a 5 minute Fran time yet. I did knock 21 seconds off of my time for 7:09.

I literally couldn't do a handstand the last time I worked out with these ladies.

We finished off the perfect night with spicy margaritas and tacos at Mexique.

Back on Long Island

I'm back on Long Island and enjoying myself immensely. My flight was ridiculously delayed last night coming in from Nashville. I was not very pleased, especially because I hate flying into LaGuardia. My dad is a saint and still came to pick me up even though it was after midnight.

This morning my mama and I hit up Pure Barre Huntington. The class wasn't particularly difficult but my thighs were smarting from the Hotlanta Half and way too much time sitting in airports and on airplanes.

After class, we ran errands and I got a toasted, scooped egg bagel with tuna fish from Bagel Boss. I don't eat bagels very often, but when I do, I want a real Long Island bagel. I also got a large iced black coffee and it was delicious.

Fast forward a few hours and a work call later, and I was off to get my nails did. Someone put a padlock on the gate that connects my parents' cul-de-sac to the local middle school parking lot. Apparently it's to keep parents from driving up our street to drop off their kids. Since I was walking to the nail salon and it's right near the middle school, that put a major crimp in my style, but no worries, because I just hopped the fence. Thanks CrossFit.

French manicures are required whenever I'm back in the 516.

Speaking of CrossFit, today is my 3rd anniversary. I feel like a putz for not going on my anniversary (two years in a row) but I'll make up for it when I get home.

My parents and I had a delicious dinner at the Brass Rail in Locust Valley. The lobster bisque is fantastic and I tried monkfish for the first time. I really love monkfish liver, but this is the first time I've had the meat of the fish. Very tasty. I also had a martini that hit me harder than expected. That made completing a vendor application for the state of Tennessee super fun. The key lime pie tasted more like cheesecake. It wasn't bad but it was no Publix.

I'll be terrorizing my mom all week so get excited for some posts about Pure Barre and yelling at people in grocery stores. (For real, it's already happened once since I've been here.)

New York

So I started this post in December when I started my new job and then I promptly forgot about it until now. 

photo courtesy of CrossFit Hell's Kitchen

Last Monday I started my new job as the Manager of AmeriCorps Residency Programs at Relay Graduate School of Education. I am so very excited to take on this work because I am passionate about AmeriCorps, and I know that this is the way that I can have a positive impact on education. I just also really enjoy managing AmeriCorps programs - everything from service events to making sure we're in compliance.

Relay has campuses across the United States, but the home office is in New York. I feel really fortunate that they found me such a strong candidate for the role that I get to work remotely with regular travel to New York. I flew up Monday morning (after driving back from Tampa on Sunday, ugh) and stayed through Friday. I got to drop in at CrossFit Hell's Kitchen for a debilitating workout - 50 front squats at 50% back squat 1 RM, followed by 5 rounds of 20 wallballs, 10 hang snatches, and 10 chest to bar pull-ups. I was walking funny all week. 

As thrilled as I always am to make it to CFHK, I was nervous to come back to New York.

I was nervous that I'd come back to New York and use my new job as an excuse to move back. I was pretty sure I really loved living in Atlanta, but it's hard moving somewhere, making all new friends, being hundreds of miles away from your nearest family member, and leaving the only company you've ever really worked for. When I came up in December, I kind of entertained the idea of moving back to NYC, getting to go to CFHK all the time, and seeing my parents every other weekend because I am a helicopter child. And then I snapped out of it. I dislike New York. Frank hates Manhattan. We'd end up living at my parents' house and I'd have to change the title of my memoir to Alone with Dogs. (Type alone with cats in the search bar at the top of my blog.)

Pure Barre

I tried Pure Barre this summer and liked it so much that I bought some class packs and continue to go. I think it complements CrossFit training and has improved my core strength immensely. There's also just some days where I'm looking for low-impact and a lower heart rate, and Pure Barre fits that bill.

My family came down to visit me for my birthday in August. My mom, sister, and I celebrated with a class at Pure Barre together. Recently one of the instructors commented on how good they were so clearly they left an impression.

I don't know how she gets up on her toes like that, but I am impressed.

I took this photo last summer back before I was allowed to go to Pure Barre with them, mostly because they were afraid I might embarrass them. That's why I practiced very hard. I still refuse to wear long sleeves and bootcut jazz pants though, no matter if it's a requirement of their club.

My mom and I went to Pure Barre Huntington together when I was back in New York. These are her special 100 Club socks that she received for completing her 100th class. I really want a pair.

Remember Pure Barre Bingo?

And this is a photo of my sister and me at Kevin Rathbun Steak for my birthday dinner.

Greetings From New York

I am back in New York visiting my family and enjoying a pseudo vacation. I'm working on a few projects but otherwise I'm free to chillax with Frank and harass my relatives into taking photos of me.

I accidentally had my Fabletics outfits sent to my parents' house. This is the Highway 74 outfit and I love the mesh palm tee shirt and the white sports bra. The Dili shorts are cool because they have little tabs to tighten the sides.

CrossFit Dix Hills with Coach Chad

When I was in New York a week ago, I had the awesome opportunity to drop in at CrossFit Dix Hills. Coach Chad, formerly of CrossFit Central LI, and one of my absolute favorite coaches ever - CrossFit or otherwise, is head coach there. CrossFit Dix Hills opened earlier this year.

Their 3,200 sq. ft. facility is conveniently located on Jericho Turnpike in Dix Hills, NY. As convenient as that is for a Long Islander commuting home from work, it is not convenient for someone who is visiting her parents' in Oyster Bay. The trip was entirely worth it.

Civilian Military Combine - New York City 2014

This past Saturday Team CrossFit Hell's Kitchen took on the Civilian Military Combine (CMC) - New York City 2014, and as Social Director, I felt that it was my duty to be there. That, and I just really like my CFHK friends and signed up months ago because I knew I'd be in New York for weddings in September.

New York State of Mind

I've been back up in New York since last Wednesday. My trip was very much planes, trains, and automobiles and I got to experience the joys of the New York Subway, the MTA Bus, and the Long Island Railroad. Oh the L train.

I spent time at my parents' in Oyster Bay. I spent time with some family in Queens. My boyfriend's exceptionally lovely roommate let me stay at their apartment in Williamsburg. Some wonderful friends hosted a wonderful holiday weekend in Southport. It's been great, but I am more than ready to get back to Atlanta.

We both owned those bathing suits and didn't plan this at all.

The boyfriend and I fit in a run while we were in Southport. It was really just an excuse to run to Spic and Span Market for sandwiches because it was cheat day.