Silver Linings

Hello Friends!

SO Pre-Cana wasn’t terrible…can’t help but thinking since we’re on the west coast we got a more laid back version!! The grounds, the lunch they provided, and the dinner we had at Flea St. Cafe afterwards were all lovely so even though I wasn’t thrilled about this weekend, all and all we had a good time!!! Phil and I couldn’t believe we found such a gem of a restaurant hidden in what seemed like a very nondescript section of Menlo Park…from the cocktails to the culinary treats, the meal was a delight!!!! On a different note, my bike was stolen 😦 ! Yep, from right outside my window some crazy crackhead jacked my ride to and from work 😦 BUT with the help of the amazing man I get to spend the rest of my life with, we found an even better version of my bike AND we got a great deal! Sadly, I got a wicked flat on my way to work this morning and it took me 4 bike shops and about the same number of miles out of my way after work to get it fixed…it seems the Irish luck keeps on rolling. Here is where I have a choice…this can consume me or this could be something I let go…and with the help of the people I love, I can let it go. My mom helped me through the flat situation this morning…I called her and even if she didn’t know it because our conversations can be a little combative (mainly because I know what she is saving ‘under’ what she is saying AND that it upsets her when I call her sad) she calmed me down, helped me refocus on what’s important, and made me feel supported and loved – the only things I needed. What I’m saying is every shitty day has lots of silver linings and you can choose to notice them, hold on to them, and make them light your day, OR you can ignore them and allow the clouds to roll on in….choose wisely!

Until next time, keep smiling! 🙂

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Making it work

Getting back into a groove with my diet & exercise regime has been challenging – I recently started a new job at an artisan Italian shop where the hours can be long and the food is incredible. Pasta Gina focuses of fresh pastas, raviolis, sauces, spreads, soups, salads, and classic entrees; so as I am sure you can imagine, taking home dinner every night is quickly becoming routine. I have been careful to avoid the tiramisu, cannoli, and other tempting treats BUT still need to be sure our pasta dinners are carefully balanced with the right amount of cardio and less wheat/grains throughout the day.

Today I woke up with some yoga, road my bike to work, and plan to squeeze some mid afternoon yoga in as well…I may not be able to dedicate 90 minutes to practice or 60 minutes to cardio but 30 minutes a few times a day adds up!

’til next time, keep smiling! 🙂

Summer Solstice & Weekend Fun!

Hello WordPress Family! I hope everyone is officially enjoying their summer!! Saturday marked the Summer Solstice & like a good little yogi I honored the occasion with 108 sun salutations. There was much internal debate about joining a group or class but I personally enjoy doing my 108 practice privately – knowing there are a number of like minded souls globally participating in the same tradition makes me feel much more connected to the yoga community anyway!

I did three sets of 36, dedicated to the past, present and future. My past meditation was focused on letting go with gratitude – acknowledging everything up to this point as a blessing that has helped shape the person I am. My present meditation was focused on celebrating each moment without judgement – not labeling an experience positive or negative but receiving it as it comes with openness & excitement. My future meditation was focused on honoring my inner light – remaining true to my inner self and continuing to follow my heart along my path to happiness.

Phil & I enjoyed a long ride on Sunday – about 40 miles – but we broke it up with some swim lessons & lunch @ Zakes in Fort Washington. We enjoyed a peaceful night in Sunday that was only slightly saddened by the tie that should have been a win for the US against Portugal in the World Cup. I was admittedly more frustrated that I should have been but we’re still in the tournament and have a shot against Germany….

Let’s go USA!!

 

Day 1 Review & Detox Day 2

It seems Mother Nature finally got the springtime memo and blessed the Philadelphia area with sunny skies and warm temperatures for the next few days…can I get an AMEN?!? I took a glorious 10 mile ride in the afternoon sunshine yesterday – between the hills and 20 mph winds it totally kicked my butt and was an awesome 45+ minutes of cardio.

Phil and I successfully completed Day 1 and are off and running with The Vabulous Life Spring Detox! Phil is definitely getting into it – thinking of cool ideas for  things to try… asking “well, can we eat this?” about nearly everything – I love it! Even though yesterday’s lemon tuna salad over mixed greens was yummy, we’re mixing up lunch a little today & incorporating part of last night’s dinner. We were both a little hungry when dinner time came around, so I pulled the sweet potato chips out early- they were still amazing  warm and soft & were great next to the broiled salmon and asparagus!  Talk about a great start to clean eating: amazing detoxifying asparagus, omega-3 fatty acid packed salmon and vitamin rich sweet potatoes! I only used 2 tbsp of coconut oil, 1/2 tbsp honey, one lime, 1 tbsp ginger, 2 garlic cloves, salt and pepper to season – the whole meal was bursting with flavor!

Today is a little more of the same foods with some twists thrown in to keep it interesting!

Detox Day #2

• Breakfast: Green Smoothie
• Snack #1: Apple & Seeds
• Lunch: Root Veg. Salad w/beets, sweet potato chips & pumpkin seeds
• Snack #2: Homemade Hummus & Carrots
• Dinner: Ginger Lime Salmon w/Roasted Brussel Sprouts & mashed sweet potatoes
• Dessert: Chocolate Coconut Cookies

Anyone else trying a spring detox, cleanse or just trying to eat clean?!?! I’m feeling energized, focused and happy – how are you?!?!?!

 

 

More than Fond

Happy Monday ALL! I hope your weekends were as wonderful as mine! I guess I have to rewind as far back as Thursday night…just SO much to share!

Thursday night was our anniversary dinner @ Fond. I got an awesome ride in before hand which made indulging in dessert an easy decision! While it was beautifully sunny, the intense winds made for challenging ride. I was all geared up for this pleasant ride, intending to push myself after a nice leisurely warm up but mother nature had other plans! I was riding directly into the wind for the first 40 minutes and felt like I was crawling…this was NOT the work out I was looking for..but turning that corner back towards home felt so good and made the initial push SO worth it! It just goes to show that even though things may not turn out the way you intend, its how you handle it that makes all the difference!

Anyway, back to dinner…

While you’re welcome to BYOB, Fond does in fact feature a full bar to compliment their Amazing American cuisine! Phil and I opted to bring our own wine (no corkage fee Tues/Thurs) and were pleasantly surprised with a delightful amuse of wild mushroom soup to start the meal! We ordered yellowfin crudo and a roasted acorn squash salad to share but opted to pick our own main courses (mainly so my man could have some meat!). My salmon was one of the best plates of fish I’ve ever had, and Phil was silent as soon as his fork hit the plate, so I’m pretty sure he enjoyed the short ribs! Of course, no meal is complete without a sweet treat! We picked the pistachio tart with vanilla ice cream and poached cherries…DIVINE! All and all we had a marvelous meal that topped off our anniversary celebration perfectly!I managed to get three incredible yoga classes in this weekend, two of which were with new instructors that introduced unique sequencing that was challenging but effortless at the same time! The other was the mala (108) class I mentioned Friday for the Spring Equinox! I had an energizing salad and motivating meeting before class to put me in the mood – talking about health and wellness always fires me up! Kristin broke the class into 4 sets of 27 Sun Salutations, dedicating each set to an intention for you, your family/friends, the community at large, and your biggest challenge, respectively. Kristin had us write out each of our intentions and tuck the piece of paper under our mat as we practiced. Once practice was over Kristin asked us each to burn our intentions sheet as a way of releasing them into the universe…talk about an awesome way to kick of spring! Phil and I spent the rest of the weekend doing our best to take in the wonderful weather. The farmers market is back so we took a stroll through the park and picked up some glorious goodness before making our way to an early dinner with Phil’s family! It was his brother’s 29th Birthday this week so his parents took us all out to Capital Grille – I love any excuse to share a meal with family!!! I used to prefer dining around 8pm because that was the popular time to be out and about but let me tell you, early seatings are where it’s at!!! We were on our way home before 8pm which made for a much more chipper…and productive…Sunday morning!

What are some of the things you are more than fond of from your weekend?!?!?

 

Birthday Celebrations and Weekend Rides

Its official folks, diving season is over!! Whew! While I love my divers, the stress of coaching two sports in addition to my full time just was really starting to get to me! All I have to focus on now is my swimmers and their big meet coming up in a few weekends!

Even though I spent most of my weekend on a pool deck, I did manage to sneak in a long ride late afternoon Sunday! The weather was in the 50s and sunny – I was in heaven!

However, with all the snow melting, it wasn’t exactly the cleanest ride I have ever been on!I also managed to squeeze in a fun girls night for my cousins Birthday! It wasn’t quite as tropical as our celebration for her 40th last year, but we had an amazing dinner at Pennsylvania6 in center city Philadelphia! We were all a bit hungry when we sat down, so the delicious oysters and white bean dip we had for appetizers were devoured before I could snap a photo! This bi-level, dimly lit hot spot focuses on creative smaller plates while still keeping a casual/homey feel to many of their dishes! I had yellowfin tar-tar and baby beet salad as my dinner and it was divine – if you’re ever in Philadelphia, its a must try!!

Even though life gets busy, its always important to make time for self care! Whether it be a bike ride, a bite with friends or just some quiet time to decompress, its always important to do things for YOU!

Happy Monday!

Let’s Ride

Its a frigid Tuesday here in Philadelphia! While I would love to be hitting the streets, I think I’m keeping my cardio inside today!

I have been taking spin classes for a few years and am a huge fan of indoor cycling; however, it wasn’t until I got this beauty for Christmas that I even attempted to ride outside. While I still love a good spin class, there is nothing like riding outside! Granted, my butt is WAYYY more sore than when I cycle indoors, its totally worth it. I have been struggling to find something that provides me the same ‘escape’ a long run used to, and it seems my search is over!

Getting back in shape should be a breeze once I can start riding regularly. I have to wait for things to warm up a bit before taking any more rides (a frost bitten face isn’t a good look) but I’ve been so excited, I couldn’t wait to share!

Until then, any recommendations for a good seat cushion or brand of saddle I should try?!?!?