Oh those crazy summers

It has been a lot harder to stick to my "three times a week" writing schedule than I thought. Inspired though I was, ideas abounding, I let life get in the way. The inspiration ebbed, and here I am waiting for the flow. I let the endless household chores and Zoey's endless puppy energy be the things that I "had" to take care of.

I simply can't sit down and write now; that takes concentration, and look at all this laundry! Look at the veggies that need to be chopped! Zoey needs an hour long walk, and she's looking at me with those incredible puppy eyes! And doing that hippity hop she does. Oh and all those errands to run! Costco and Paulina Meat Market and Kriser's and the gas station and Howard's Wines and the vet....oh, and the studio! And now it's been a month since I last sat down to write.

It's terribly disappointing to love the idea of writing on a regular basis and then not actually honoring that commitment to myself. Add that to the list: "Ways I've Let Myself Down."  Ahh, well, I'm here now, so enough of the self-pity :)

What's been going on this month? Well, where should I start?!

Andrew and I just returned from an Independence Day trip to Seattle - look for a post soon! - where we had a ton of fun. Muscle car shows, twin engine planes, a four mile run along the Sound, coffee, beer, everything!

We have most of our Italy trip booked - I'm so excited!! And...io sto imparando Italiano! I have been taking weekly Italian classes at Multilingual Connections, and I am loving it. What a fun language - I love the way the words sound and feel when you pronounce them. A few weeks ago I took one of those silly facebook quizzes (what kind of <fill in the blank> are you?) which informed me that I love words, and my Italian language experience is definitely confirming this.

Andrew and I invested in a new digital camera for our Italy trip. I've been busy taking lots of pictures (much to my husband's chagrin) and am trying to learn Adobe Lightroom - it is insane what you can do with a photo post production.

For the last few months I've been doing a lot of soul searching in regards to teaching and my career path. The books and movies always make soul searching sound easy, almost romantic. All you have to do is don your denim jacket, go to the nearest bridge overlooking a beautiful river, preferably at night when all the stars are shining, and the Truth will come to you.

It suffices to say, this has not been my experience. It's been a rough couple of months, rife with anxiety and crabbiness. My body is a wreck (and not just from all the running), but I finally hit the proverbial rock bottom, emotionally, and I am on my way back up! I've recommitted to myself physically, and I am close to a place where I can be genuine in evaluating my hopes and needs for teaching.

It feels really good to be on the upswing. It's cliche but I truly feel like a weight has been lifted off me - there is so much less pressure on my chest and shoulders these days. I'm looking forward to once again being productive with my thoughts and actions, and (sappy me) am thankful I have a great guy there with me.

In search of new running clothes!

It's official. I registered for the Chicago Half Marathon. I am a runner.

The good news about this is it means I get to buy real running clothes!! I'm on a serious hunt for shorts right now, as I only have one pair I like. I'm trying out a new pair of Nike shorts, but they feel a little bulky, so I also ordered the Oiselle Distance Short. Originally I ordered the Oiselle Roga, but these were just awful for me - I am a pear shape and the Roga short is cut pretty narrow through the leg. The Distance short is a little wider, so looking forward to trying them on a run.

I'm also in search of new sports bras. I've been using the C9 sports bra for Pilates - they are inexpensive and easy to obtain, both positives when you dislike shopping as much as I do. I ordered the Montiel Tear Drop bra and am eagerly awaiting its arrival. Montiel also has some adorable tops, so I bought one to try as well.

Now I need to research some new music and hydration solutions - I haven't had to worry much about either for short three mile runs. And just as important, I'm starting to look into fuel - pre, during and post long runs!

I'm hoping some of these new items will come in handy on our upcoming trip to Seattle. I've already started scouting running routes in the city!

PMA Certified!

I passed the PMA exam!! Woohoo! Okay, it was an insanely long but not too tough exam but still, I am happier than I thought I would be about it. I am now a PMA Certified Pilates Teacher. Yea me.

It's been a while since I posted about teaching, so what's been going on? Teaching has had its ups and downs the last couple of weeks, so the PMA exam is welcome news. My available schedule is finally what I want it to be: I'll be working mostly mornings, and just one night per week, allowing me to spend more evening time with Andrew and Zoey. Now I just need my mornings to fill up! 

An interesting thing has happened with the one night per week I am working. I started a new quartet late in the evening, recruiting a couple of my current clients as well as a friend's private client. Turns out, I love this class. It's my favorite hour to teach, and it's the last time in the world I would have chosen! The girls are so curious and so eager to move. They listen to instruction, they listen to my teaching moments and they even laugh at my dumb jokes and stories. More importantly, they challenge my teaching abilities with their strengths and weaknesses. Finally I feel like I have my class! I feel comfortable and confident teaching them, and I know that they are coming to take class from me. Who knew it would take this long, but I am thankful to finally have it. 

This week I'm also rediscovering - and remembering the joy of - self practice. For various reasons I have not been able to do my normal private sessions and have not taken class as much. Since I've been doing a lot of running lately, my body has been tight and tired! I finally motivated myself to do some Towel and Mat work, and it felt amazing! I've been trying to get more out of my body in movement and I felt strong despite the recent break. Z was very confused by the 100s though! 

Zoey does Pilates!

Day Trip to Galena, IL

We visited Andrew's family in small-town Iowa this past weekend and made a short Mother's Day trip to nearby Galena, Illinois. What a charming little town! The busy shopping area, on a bright and warm day, was a fantastic getaway from the rain and dreariness we've had in Chicago and Dubuque lately.

With just a few hours to spend, we stuck to Main Street and the beautiful, simple riverfront. Main Street is packed with shops of all kinds: jewelry, antiques, coffee, specialty foods and toy stores. The Galena Canning Company has more barbecue sauces than I've ever seen, and a lot of tourists agreed with me - it was slammed! We stopped for coffee and orange sherbet, while my mother-in-law relished an Italian soda - it was a treat to see her so relaxed!

Main Street

My favorite shop was the Galena Garlic Company - their selection of oils, vinegars and spices was really incredible, and the shop owners were so friendly. We've already used the sriracha salt we purchased - delicious! We also bought wasabi salt, and are taking suggestions for recipes.

Galena Garlic Company

While the adults were charmed by the coffee, the cobblestone and the sun, our nieces couldn't wait to visit Poopsie's. The girls had been so good on our trip that they were each allowed to pick out a collectible plush toy (they carefully selected Sandy, the stuffed ice cream sandwich, and Double Scoop Twin, the stuffed ice cream cone). We headed to the riverfront to relax in the sun before a delightful Mother's Day dinner at the "country Italian" restaurant Fried Green Tomatoes. 

nieces on the embankment

We will definitely head to again Galena in the future - after all, it's far more interesting than Dubuque, Iowa. Hopefully next time we will have time to check out some of the historical sites and museums. Of course, the Galena Brewing Company and the local wineries are high on my list as well!

Travel friendly fitness

Andrew and I love to be active and do our best to stay in shape. When we travel though this can be challenging, especially when our travels often include great meals and visits to breweries and wineries. Add to this that I am trying to lose a little weight, and traveling could quickly undo our fitness efforts!

For me, awareness is the key. Every day I pay attention to my level of activity and my food intake. The more I know about my caloric intake and output, the better I can make decisions on what to eat. Daily, I use myfitnesspal.com to track what I eat on my iPhone. Their database includes nutrition info for thousands of foods, and there is a simple feature to let you add your own meals. When you add cardio or strength training, the site calculates your net calories and gives you an easy to read display of your remaining calories for the day. I love seeing how many more calories I can eat as a result of my cardio!

I also use mapmyrun.com to track not just my runs and bike rides, but also my daily walks with Zoey. You'd be surprised how quickly that adds up! Yesterday on our afternoon walk I burned almost 200 calories (admittedly, it tired poor Zoey out a little - she started protesting toward the end). Because mapmyrun.com tracks my pace, it's generally a more accurate count of calories burned than myfitnesspal.com.

mommy, I'm tired and want to lay by the water bowl

Both of these tools are easy to take with you when you travel, and do the same things you do at home. A few other tools I've been known to take on trips with me:

• Resistance bands a great for strength training. My friend Jacquelyn at fitsouffle.com recommends PowerSystems bands, and I agree they are great. 
• Again Faster makes a great jump rope that is small and easily fits in a carryon. 
• The Fletcher Braided Towel is also easy to pack if you're working on upper back and shoulder strength.

As a Pilates teacher, it's easy for me to plop down in my hotel room and knock out some Mat work for a quick fitness pick me up, but sometimes it's not that easy. It sounds trite, but planning ahead really is the key. Before you leave, here are some things to consider:

• If you're sightseeing, can you walk it? This is one of our favorite things to do. You're not only staying active, but walking through different neighborhoods is one of the best ways to get to know a city. 
• Before your trip, find some cool walking or biking tours. My favorite part of our trip to Maui was Cruiser Phil's volcano bike tour.
• How many workouts do you want to fit in during your trip? Be realistic about how many runs or workouts you will do and set a plan for when you'll do them. 
• Does your hotel have a fitness center - and will you use it? Let's face it, not all fitness centers are equal! 
• Map out a running route ahead of time, especially if the weather will be good or if you're near a picturesque location. Imagine watching the sun come up over a beautiful lake or river. 
• Confirm with your hotel that your route is safe. Beautiful or not, let's avoid any muggings, please. 
• Make sure you pack the right clothes. That includes sneakers, and plenty of socks and sports bras! 

Travel is about experience, and I never want to deprive myself of food and drink experience when I'm a tourist. A little forethought about staying active helps me be able to enjoy myself and take in everything my destination has to offer. 

Written

When you haven't written in a long time, you forget how hard it is. Not that it's difficult to type out words and make them into a sentence - I do that all the time in emails. But to do it well - to be effective, to be moving - that's challenging.

When you used to "be a writer," and you've been away from it, you forget that it didn't just come easily and simply. It didn't all just flow out of your mind and onto the page, in these beautifully phrased, elegant paragraphs.

You forget all the times you had to just say everything you could think of until you could pinpoint some sort of theme. You forget how to actually start drafting, how to search for the data points that support your focus. You forget that you change your mind halfway through. You forget that even after you've written everything you think you want to, you reread it and realize you don't want to say that at all.

Writing again is like the first time you move after you've been sick in bed for a couple weeks. There is stiffness and uncertainty, aches and dullness as you start to flex the prime movers. Awareness has dimmed or faded, and for the first few tries it's more exploration and attempting than it is working out. Will this ever feel normal again?

After a while you start to feel some awakening; you sense some memories dancing at the edge of consciousness. There is a little burst of success, the "aha!" moment that reminds you what it used to feel like. Hopefully, if you keep at it, it will get better. Hopefully this is the start of something new and amazing.

Weekend Getaway to Toronto

For Andrew's birthday this year, I booked a weekend trip to Toronto, Canada. We've heard great things about it, and have been itching to get some stamps in our new passports. It's been a while since we traveled for fun, and we were both feeling the need to get away.

The quick flight from O'Hare into Toronto's Pearson Airport was relaxed and smooth, notable only because of Pearson's emptiness. Pearson is one of the busiest airports in Canada, but you wouldn't guess it based on our flight - we arrived to what felt like an abandoned airport. We hopped in a taxi for about 35 minutes and arrived at our hotel (the Marriott Bloor Yorkville) around lunch, famished and eager to start exploring.

When traveling we rarely make reservations or schedule out our whole trip, because we love spontaneous exploration, but we like to have ideas for sightseeing and restaurants (especially since I've been known to get hangry!). A personal recommendation, and research on Beer Advocate, led us to barVolo for lunch, and for the beer selection, we could not have done better.

Only one other customer graced the dark, heavy wood tables; the richly aged banisters and bar accents were reminiscent of an old English pub. We chose a corner table with a booth and mismatched chairs, and were promptly greeted by the bartender, who explained that we order food and drinks at the bar. I love knowing what to expect! From our table, I glimpsed an ice cream shop style counter refrigerator which serves as their cooler for rarer bottled beers. Atop the cooler was a case of (empty) Westvleteren bottles. Whether or not the bottles had ever been full, I was impressed by the display.

barVolo's beer list

BarVolo is known for its large selection of Canadian beers, and their chalk menu clearly lists the style next to the beer name for all 32 beers on tap. When the bartender (alas, I forget his name - he was so friendly and knowledgeable!) discovered we are beer geeks, he wrote a list of bars and restaurants for us to check out. He also spent quite a bit of time explaining the Canadian beer system to us. Canada's beer laws are very strict, and it's difficult to import beers even from another Canadian province. That barVolo has so many beers on tap is a testament to their continued hard work, and their passion for beer.

For much of the rest of our day we wandered about the city, exploring different neighborhoods and scoping out interesting buildings and houses. The Frank Gehry-designed Art Gallery of Ontario offered an amazing model ship exhibit, and an incredible winding, whimsical staircase.

the Gehry spiral staircase

Then, between the Blue Jays stadium and the CN Tower, we spied Steam Whistle Brewing Company. Instantly I fell in love with the venue. Built at an old roundhouse, and complete with a retired steam engine, most of the bay doors were still intact, arcing around the engine. To the left of the steam engine is the entrance to the brew pub, where several of the bay doors open to a large patio. The setting was so beautiful and nostalgic I was sad that the beer was a relatively generic pilsner, and not a tasty craft brew.

Steam Whistle's roundhouse

On Day 2 we started off with a morning run; while it was cloudy, the temperature was perfect for a short two-miler followed by coffee. We planned ahead: run two miles out, find coffee and take the subway back (for all its other benefits, the Toronto subway system still uses tokens!). The latte at Fahrenheit Coffee was amazing! What a great little shop - friendly faces, yummy chocolate chip muffins and cool chalk drawings of their baristas. If we lived nearby it would definitely be our go-to.

Caffeinated and showered, we jumped back into tourism: Kensington Market, Koreatown and the Distillery District. It got chilly as the day went on, so I was glad to purchase a knit Blue Jays hat at Kensington. The highlight of the afternoon was lunch at the Korean Village (preceded by a beer at Pour Boy Pub - a gem of a pub). The bi bim bap was so tasty and filling we had to push back our dinner reservations!

The rest of the afternoon, we made stops at the Mill Street Beer Hall in the Distillery District, and at Beer Bistro in the Financial District. Mill Street had a fun ambiance and lackluster beer, while Beer Bistro had amazing beer and a generic Cheesecake Factory vibe. Too bad we couldn't switch beer lists for a perfect experience!

On our last day in Toronto I was determined to get brunch - Andrew has an aversion to waiting in line for brunch, so I have to be selective about when and where I suggest it. Fortunately I'd made a great choice: Wallace & Co. in the Junction Triangle was outstanding! A tiny little diner that seats only about 20, they created the most amazing French toast I've ever had. Fresh fruit, caramel and creme fraiche adorned slices of banana bread French toast - to die for!!

Wallace & Co's French toast

No trip of ours would be complete without a glimpse of the local fire department. Andrew knows to pause the conversation when a shiny engine or ladder truck drives by, and lucky for me, he also humors my desire to visit a station house.  This weekend though, we even got to see the Firefighters' Memorial!

in memory if their fallen brothers

We had a fantastic time in Toronto and can't wait to go back. Next time though we'll make sure it's a little warmer so we can take in a Blue Jays game!


Toronto Travel Resources
beeradvocate.com
blogto.com
ago.net
bluejays.com
cfff.ca

A date with my city

This weekend I planned to return home to Cincinnati for some much-needed time with family and besties. Alas, this wonderful winter has decided I should stay put, so, if I must stay in Chicago, I will take advantage!!

Last Friday I was able to get to the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) and check out the Christopher Wool exhibit, which was amazing. Andrew and I are members of the AIC so I partake in some art whenever I can, but today I wanted something slightly different. Solution: the Museum for Contemporary Art (MCA). I purchase my brand new Ventra card, hop on the Red line and head to River North.

As I pass the Chicago Fire Department's Engine 98, and approach the MCA, a giant head greets me. Literally a 20-foot tall head installed at the base of the front steps, The Character and Shape of Illuminated Things by Amanda Ross-Ho offers the first glimpse of the what's in store inside. Today the main exhibit is The Way of the Shovel, cleverly advertised amidst a sidewalk full of snow, with shoveled walkways that look almost manicured. I bound up the steps, and almost meet my maker after slipping on the wet floor inside the revolving door. Yes, that takes a special talent.

After paying the trifling $12 adult admission (Attendant: are you a teacher or student? Me: well I teach Pilates, but I don't think that's what you mean. Attendant: ...crickets... Seriously?! Nothing?! Come on, dude...), I head over to the complementary coat check and ditch my coat, gloves, hat, ear muffs, scarf...the list goes on. The prominent sign that says "no tips" and describes why this is a service they choose to offer only makes me want to tip them more. Respecting their wishes, I head to my first exhibit, William J. O'Brien.

Full of colored pencil and glitter, this exhibit is overrun with junior high groups and tour guides, so while full of brilliant color, I pass quickly through the complex drawings, paintings and sculptures. Though, I overhear and appreciate the guide's comparisons to the imperfect clay works the students may have made as children, and the artist's decision to include similar pieces in his exhibit.

The City Self exhibit enthralls me. It is the one exhibit I will recommend to my husband. I have a soft spot for my adopted city and all the beautiful things she has to offer, and so when I see her in print I am mesmerized. The mix of photography, paintings, sketches and other mediums from various artists offers an intimate view of Chicago, and the feeling that you are seeing the most secret and best the city has to offer.

I breeze through the rest of the exhibits; much as I like to consider myself cultured, I like to look, not read, when I'm at a museum, so I don't have much patience for exhibits that require explanation. Finally though, no visit to the MCA is complete without a stop in their two story museum shop. Quirky cards, books and trinkets, jewelry, housewares, stuffed animals, every modern thing you could possibly want. Though the winding staircase has been known to disorient me, few places entertain me so completely as the MCA shop.

My desire for culture satiated, I head south on Michigan Avenue. A plethora of uniformed officers mill about, and I wonder fleetingly about the Mag Mile muggings I've read about in the last few months. Fortunately on such a cold day, crowds are small - only the most desperate or bored are crazy enough to be shopping on Michigan today.

I don't make the trip to Michigan Ave often (I have a well-known dislike of crowds), so I make a quick stop at Nordstrom. In search of comfy AND cute sandals, I leave disappointed, and head to Room and Board to scout out an entry table. While very attractive and fitting for our space, the small table we've been eyeing online offends my (occasional) frugality, so I move on. Luckily for me, while window shopping at R&B, I spot a shopper carrying an Eataly paper bag. Light bulb!! Andrew has little interest in such a place, but since I'm by myself on a weekday, crowds are likely to be manageable. As an added benefit, I'm starving! Lunch is planned.

Inside it's bustling. I'm greeted by a very tall man with a huge smile, who asks me if I've ever been to Eataly. He informs me that I've just found my new home, and hands me a map. The first floor is a maze of cafe-style shops, and beautiful, fun housewares. I'm still starving so I head upstairs and am overwhelmed by the sheer size of what confronts me. People everywhere, I see counters filled with salamis, cheeses, pastas; mid-aisle stands offer me every Italian delight I could hope for. I turn around, and see the enormous wine section, followed by angels singing!

I wander a bit, trying to get a feel for the etiquette. It's overwhelming, really, and though there are a number of individual restaurants at hand, it is not clear which tables belong to which restaurant, and nothing to tell you if you should seat yourself or wait for a host/ess. I'm on a healthier eating kick, so I grab a bar seat at La Verdure.

The prosecco I start with is a generous pour, the bubbles immediately making me happy and giggly. I order the farratto, and it is truly amazing. The risotto style preparation is creamy and delicious, and the butternut squash makes the dish decadent. I devour every last bit of it. The service is a little slow, so it takes about 10-15 more minutes to get my check and pay.

I make a bee line for the wine section, and spend about 20 minutes perusing before I make my selections. The counter selling fresh pasta is too tempting to pass up, so I purchase several bundles of spinach and squid ink pasta. A few counters, and a hundred dollars, later, I'm on my way to the Red Line, giddy with my purchases, and reminded of why I love Chicago.