Over the years, many yoga/fitness instructors have told me to "just listen to what your body needs"---whether that is being more aware of daily water intake, protein, nursing an injury, etc. I felt like that phrase was such fluff. I mean, I k-n--o-w what my body needs. I struggled through different parts of our "wedding diet" as I limited myself with such structured meal planning. (To be fair, I needed the structure with so much else going on with the wedding planning.) I had a goal and by god I was going to stick to it. And I did, but in some ways I felt unsatisfied food wise and cravings were strong, my willpower stronger. I didnt like being challenged on how I was nourishing myself as I had researched a fool-proof plan and followed through. I felt amazing on our wedding day but I knew post-honeymoon some things would have to be more lenient (and I needed a social life again that could include wine and dessert;). It's been six months since then and my "AH-HA!" moment came today! After work today, I had a killer headache which is not normal. I figured it was a residual dehydration from bikram last night. The old Sarah would chug water for an hour, possibly not go to the gym, and feel guilty about my unmotivation to push through the headache. The me today reached for the Zico, poured a 1 cup glass (not feeling guilty about those extra calories), and within 5 minutes was better. And was then able to get to Tabata class @ Equinox. And got my bootie kicked :) I have about 10 more examples of healthy listening to my body choices that I have made the past few days between deciding what goes into my morning smoothie, what I reach for for dinner post-yoga, or what I snack on midday. My body craves things still but being able to decipher it as thirst, protein or carb/suger hunger has made all the difference. I dont feel buckled down by calories and if anything I feel empowered by my ability to make smart choices. It has made ME (not "the plan") the focal point of my daily health decisions. The art of listening...you win again.
One of the toughest skills I've had to learn in my job is being OK with silence, letting doctors take time to respond and listening and reacting with the appropriate follow up questions. Silence used to be so awkward for me. It made me feel like I wasnt doing enough and sometimes I ended up "data-dumping" with physicians who stood there nodding and attempting to absorb my ramblings. This seems so basic yet it took me a while to make listening become my new norm in the workplace. My whole job benefitted when I learned this simple skill.
Over the years, many yoga/fitness instructors have told me to "just listen to what your body needs"---whether that is being more aware of daily water intake, protein, nursing an injury, etc. I felt like that phrase was such fluff. I mean, I k-n--o-w what my body needs. I struggled through different parts of our "wedding diet" as I limited myself with such structured meal planning. (To be fair, I needed the structure with so much else going on with the wedding planning.) I had a goal and by god I was going to stick to it. And I did, but in some ways I felt unsatisfied food wise and cravings were strong, my willpower stronger. I didnt like being challenged on how I was nourishing myself as I had researched a fool-proof plan and followed through. I felt amazing on our wedding day but I knew post-honeymoon some things would have to be more lenient (and I needed a social life again that could include wine and dessert;). It's been six months since then and my "AH-HA!" moment came today! After work today, I had a killer headache which is not normal. I figured it was a residual dehydration from bikram last night. The old Sarah would chug water for an hour, possibly not go to the gym, and feel guilty about my unmotivation to push through the headache. The me today reached for the Zico, poured a 1 cup glass (not feeling guilty about those extra calories), and within 5 minutes was better. And was then able to get to Tabata class @ Equinox. And got my bootie kicked :) I have about 10 more examples of healthy listening to my body choices that I have made the past few days between deciding what goes into my morning smoothie, what I reach for for dinner post-yoga, or what I snack on midday. My body craves things still but being able to decipher it as thirst, protein or carb/suger hunger has made all the difference. I dont feel buckled down by calories and if anything I feel empowered by my ability to make smart choices. It has made ME (not "the plan") the focal point of my daily health decisions. The art of listening...you win again.
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I'll stop with the alliteration once I regain my writer's brain and find my eloquence again. I'm hoping this doesnt take too many months but until then, Friday Favorites is what you get. (What I would give to have to write a Yanzek 10th grade english paper right now to discover my words again....play the game. Play the game.) ANYways. Fridays are almost as good as Saturdays. And for that, I like to celebrate things that make me smile. I hope to continue to do this so in a few years I can laugh at myself and be all like "Really, Sarah, really?!?" and allow for some perspective around here in apt 7B. Without furture adu... Lululemon Run:Turbo Crop I've been a mega fan of Lululemon for about 2yrs now. It's pricy stuff but is the most comfortable, flattering and lasting workout gear I have ever owned. It also washes amazingly well and while spending $86 on a pair of workout crops is ridiculous, I am washing and wearing them 2-3x week. Money well spent, I say. These Turbo Crop ones are my new favorite. I haven't "ran" in them, but have worn them to bikram a few times now and they wick the moisture better than the regular Wunder Crops and hit a bit higher on the calf which is more flattering for my shape. I love them. Lululemon, can I be your beta-tester for new gear? :) Benson Ferry Old Vine Zinfandel 2008 One would think my everyday dinner/post-dinner/party wine would be from a vineyard we've visited. There is something about indulging in a big glass of California red wine from a winery you've been to and sat on the property taking in the air of the Valley (oh my gosh I am there in my head right now.) But this wine, the BFOVZ08 is just the most heavenly wonderful, affordable and fantastic wine I have come accross. It is $12.99/bottle which is easy on the wallet and you dont mind opening a few bottles at a time for a dinner party. It's smooth, has soft tannins and a bit of fruit....and it is just so CALIFORNIA. That is my only way to best describe it. Get yourself a bottle (or case!) and let me know what you think. (This wine was recommended to me by my Uncle Dan's bro-in-law Allen Narkiewicz. Allen, you rock. And your wife does too! :) This is for my New York ladies. Those of you who even follow this thing have heard me RAVE about my love for Mario Badescu. Recommended to me by Miss Lindsay D, this spa is my go-to facial place. I use the term "spa" loosely. It is a nothing special, fairly bare bones facility but their products are heavenly and their facials do the trick for only $65 a pop! I definitely have a glow afterwards. The husband even notices:) Dont get caught up in the extra masks or treatments as it ends up taking time and money away from the basic VERY GOOD and cleansing/extractions/2 masks facial. The MB product line is reasonable, too, as they are able to provide for a premier product by keeping their packeging costs to a minimum. No fancy labels or jars here. So you get a $50 product for $25. Have I sold you yet? If not...does the fact that they give you like 10 free samples everytime you buy online or in store? I hope that helps. Homemade Greek Salad. Lee laughs at me because I've been making and eating this salad at least 5x/week. Crisp with a bit of tart, cheese and crunchy. I'll take it! Recipe: *1 large cucumber *Handful of tomatos *Feta cheese *Diced red onion Dressing: *Juice of one lemon *One large squirt of Dijon mustard *2-3 tbspns EVOO*Sea salt, fresh ground pepper, dill to your likingPair it with southwest salmon and a chilled sauv blanc! Salivation station. (OMG I need to stop...) This is kindof embarassing but I have been wearing this JCrew skirt to work pretty much 3 days a week. For the past month and a half. And I most likely will do so all summer. The beauty of my job is that I never see the same offices in one week so it really isnt an issue of style more of function. I love it though. It is breezy and khaki always has a spot in the workplace even if it is painfully beige. It makes me wish we had uniforms back in high school...wouldve made the whole situation SO much easier. I'm not sure I can do enough to convey the love and admiration and pride I have for my Dad today. This past week, he put the finishing editorial touches on a book he has been working on for years called Pittsburgher(s)...a memoir structured like that of James Joyce's novel Dubliners. My Dad's inner circle of family members and close friends got a first read of this a few months ago and to say it was powerful would be an understatement. It rocked me to my core. It is my father's story. And how all the big and small moments of his life have made him into the man he is today, with love being the most guiding element of his years. I know that not everyone will appreciate the ins and outs of this tale that make it so moving to me, his daughter, but in so many ways it is classically American, wholesome, reflective and just....really really damn good. I am honored beyond belief to share this on my blog and to anyone who may stumble across it. The vast majority of life is spent with parents directing their children in their upbringing and young adulthood, supporting their hopes and celebrating their accomplishments. I'm so happy that today that role is reversed. Dad, I love you and am beaming with joy for you as you become and author (!!!). Oh yes...and grab a copy! Pittsburgher(s) : takes you to blurb.com to order paperback/hardcover version Pittsburgher(s) : takes you to amazon.com to order kindle/e-book verson My best friends think I'm insane how much I talk about babies. I dont even want one right now but if you saw the number of mommy-blogs that I follow, it may seem that way. I figure in a lot of ways it is just like making a big purchase. You read alot of reviews, talk to alot of owners of the object, get an insiders take on things. And I find babies and the science of babies to be fascinating. I think the way women "grow" a baby is mindblowing. My Mom proudly (oh so so so proudly she still is of this) gave birth to me and my 2 siblings au-natural. No medication. Just letting her body do as it knows how to do. I watched a documentary recently called The Business of Being Born which struck my interest again as it goes in to the scientific, political and historical happenings of the maternity system in the US. Being a part of the medical community as a pharma rep, I couldnt help but see how women become a number in the long line of labor and delivery floors in hospitals today with medication (pitocin/epidural) cycles forcing one to pop a baby out wihtout nature taking its course. I know I sound so absurd even addressing this not even being a mother or ever being pregnant. However, as I strive to live my best life by eating healthily, exercising my body and mind, I dont find myself too crazy in researching the most natural way to bring a child into the world someday. Who knows. This could all change, but for now, I think birth stories like the eloquent and sweet Melissa Jordan's are amazing: Under a Full Moon. The Birth of Arlo Redding.
During my bachelorette party wknd in SF/Napa last November, my girlfriends and I stummbled upon this amazing little jewelry boutique called Jest Jewels. At the time I had been on the hunt for the perfect pair of big gold hoops (as directed by my go to style galpal, Kristin) that were delicate and super thin...and they had them! Statement necklaces galore and all the "as seen in" jewelry you could possibly want (for a reasonable price, to boot!). Flash foward to this past week when crusing the streets of SF with Lee and we happened to be on the same street again. This time, I've been searching for a medium sized pair of "diamond" hoops....and they had them. The exact pair I wanted. For $25. I win. I dont know why I get such pleasure out of a simple find like this but because of it I will now always check Jest Jewels when looking for a specific piece. Bound to have it :) Moving forward...I've started to make myself green juices for breakfast every morning. I mean, what else am I doing with this top of the line immersion blender anyways?? They arent that gross and when I tell you I feel energized through the most dreaded part of the day (1-3pm) without needing/wanting a cup of coffee, I consider it a huge accomplishment. My favorite blend is this with pictoral evidence of the finished product from this morning: *1 cup unsweetened almond milk *1/2 cup nonfat greek yogurt *big handful of organic spinich *handful of organic blueberries *1 banana *1 tbsp ground flaxseed meal *2 ice cubes ......Dont knock it til you try it out for a week. And finally, I need to take a moment to say how much I love New York. I've been on the grumbly grumpy side of the discussion about this city of mine for the past few months, bitching and complaining about our lack of space, the cost of our small space, inability to have fresh air and trees and good salt of the earth people around. And then we've had a few weekends away in different cities and Ive returned with a renewed sense of appreciation. For what is at our fingertips and for the pulse that this urban lifestyle brings to me and our family of 2, I am back to saying thanks. This past Saturday(!) on our 6 month wedding anniversary, Lee and I were able to stand next to our great friends, Elizabeth & Jeff, as they became husband and wife in Santa Rosa, California. It was a magical day full of girly giggles, loving laughter and bottles and bottles of the bubbly. This was the first wedding that Lee and I have attended since our own and it was so fun being a one placecard couple (Mr & Mrs Lee Markle!). Elizabeth was an absolutely radiant bride with calm nerves and a smile to go on for days. I would get the chills everytime I would catch her ear to ear grin as they talked to their guests. Effortless glam and just the eptiome of happiness. Three cheers to love.
Before the wedding weekend hoopla, Lee and I spent a day in San Fransisco as well as a day and a half in the Sonoma Valley wine region. In keeping with my goal, I got up very early on Wednesday morning and marched myself to one of the country's original Bikram Yoga studios. I must say, before entering I was already nervous. A seemingly shadier part of town than I was expecting, class at 9am (when I'm used to late afternoon classes at 4 or 5pm), and a VERY bare bones studio. The instructor, a Spanish man by the name of Oscar, was very welcoming yet warned me of the intensity of this class versus the ones in NYC. They attempt at all costs to mirror the conditions of the Bikram studios in India in this location meaning the heat and humidity are at a maxiumum. The 1960s air vent pumping out scolding hot bursts were enough to make my fingers feel like I was getting too close to an open flame(like when you roast marshmellows over a campfire and you get 1" too close). I kept up and felt fantastic mentally sustaining myself through 3/4 of the class at which point I was a pile of sweat and shaking limbs and had to call it quits in savasana for the remainder. Chalk one up to the attempt. I'm so glad I went. Later on that day, Lee and I had brunch at the most amazing French soul-food style restaurant called Brendas in (apparenly) a not so good part of town, but we didnt know better. The beignets and the croque monsieur were some of the best I have ever had. We then strolled through the Marina area of SF stopping to shop and lunch and relax over beers and our Kindles. The evening was spent catching up over wine & italian food with our friends Dief and Emily who moved from NYC to SF about a year ago. Haha, we love to eat clearly. Thursday morning, it was up an at'em as we picked up our rental car and headed north towards the Napa Valley. A chillier day with intermittent sun, we arrived at our hotel for the night, the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn, and relaxed over coffee and people watching. At 9am, our bike tour guide was to pick us up for our day of bike trekking through the Sonoma Valley---and we were in luck! In our attempt to save a few dollars by booking a group bike tour, we were welcomed by our tour guide, Steve, who said we were the only people to book a ride for today! Woohoo! Private tour, wineries of our choice, personal guide. We were very happy :) Our beautiful back roads ride took us along the dirt roads behind and through the vineyards and winery homes. You could smell the vines' grapes and the eukelyptus lines roads with each inhale. My personal heaven. We stopped at a variety of wineries (Homewood, Gunlauch Bunschu, Buena Vista and Ravenswood) with Homewood being our favorite. It was the most unassuming and simply run winery owned by a man named Dave who was head winemaker, owner, and if I had to guess a Grateful Dead fan (or at least someone who just came out of one of their concerts). Later on that evening, Lee and I had dinner at a lovely little place called the Girl & the Fig which lead to more bread, cheese and wine (clearly). We talked and talked and talked:) On Friday morning, we rose early for a drive up Route 12 to meet an old friend of mine, Pete Soergal, from high school whose family owns and opperates Soergal's Orchards in Wexford. After college, Pete made his way out to Cali and after years of putting his time in at various wineries is now the assistant winemaker at Landmark Winery in Sonoma. The personal tour of the property and hearing the histroy of the place firsthand made for an awesome start to our weekend (not to mention, the Overlook Chardonnay was fabulous, too). We bopped on over to St. Francis Winery for another quick tasting of their zinfindels and syrahs before making our way to the wedding destination spot in Santa Rosa. What a trip! |
AuthorSarah: one part of a family of THREE with my husband Lee and sweet girl Morgan, simply wanting to chronicle the path I'm on and the path that will come to be. For now it's NYC urban mamaville where everyday is a new adventure! (Actually, just getting to the post office is an adventure.) Ask Me Anything!Blogettes I LoveJoey & The Owl
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August 2015
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