J’ Chanceux Macaron

I love serendipity.  I instantly loved the word when my ex used it when we first met.  I was young, he was older.  I was 18 and he was 8 years older.  At 26, he seemed so worldly.  So when he used the word “serendipity” in a sentence – a complete one at that – I was instantly smitten.  Anyhoo, a gazillion years later…..

This past Saturday morning, after the Bar Method class, I made a wee detour in search of some junk food to reward self for all that inner-thigh-squeezing.  I was headed towards the Little Italy hoping for a canoli or gelato, but on my way, I discovered these lovelies.

I much prefer my desserts to have some substance and not so light, but I was immediately drawn to the rainbow colors.  It is very true that we eat with our eyes first.

I’m by no means a macaron expert, so I asked the nice lady (who BTW, made them herself) to make 6-pak for me.  Here is what she came up with.

So pretty.  I almost hated to eat them.   

One more shot, then I’ll bite.  I promise.

The verdit

• I still prefer a dessert with higher calories.
• But these lovelies would guarantee oooohs and aaaahs when presented as a gift.
• I still love the word “serendipity.”
• I was an idiot for ever dating my ex.
• I was a bigger idiot for being impressed by a guy using the word “serendipity.”
• Serendipities are good.

J’ Chanceux Macaron, 202 Mott street

Warrior Fitness Bootcamp

WFBC has great reviews on Yelp and I’ve been curious about this place for awhile.  But after reading WFBC website, I was quite intimidated to give it a go.   After a week of burger gluttony, I muster the courage and make the call.  (I helped that Gilt was running a special on this place.)  

This is from WFBC website:

Train like a Marine, with real Marines. Become a Warrior.

No other fitness experience competes with Warrior Fitness Boot Camp, New York City. Based on the principles and rigors of the US Marine Corps, the WFBC physical fitness program includes an obstacle course, calisthenics, free weights, circuit training, running, stretching, and other Marine Corps based exercises. This cutting edge and creative style fitness guarantees results.

I went to the 7:30 class.  (PM and not AM – I’m not crazy enough to go through the drills that early in the morning.)  I got there about 15 minutes before the class.  There is a small changing room, with the cubbyholes for your shoes and purse.  After changing into my Lululemons, I joined the other recruits waiting for their initiation.  I looked around and everyone was wearing black tank top with WFBC logo on it.  And everyone looked so serious and fit.  I watched the end of the 6:30 class.  I saw this chick hanging from the monkey bars so effortlessly.  I’m thinkin I’m so screwed. 

7:30.  One of the instructor screams out, “7:30, let’s go!” And everyone – I mean everyone (except for yours truly) – jumps out of the bench and starts running the laps.  Imagine, about 30 people in black tank tops trying to pass each other left right and center wanting to be the leader of the pack.  I join in.  Then all of the sudden everyone is shuffling.  I didn’t hear no shout telling us to shuffle?  Then everyone is gathered at a corner.  Hmm.  It appears, I may be the only newbie in the group.  We stretch.  Not extensively, just the cursory, bend to the right then to the left type of stretch. 

Then, again, all of the sudden, we are magically formed in 2 rows doing jumping jacks.  The instructor is screaming out “1,2,3,4,” “1,2,3,4,” “1,2,3,4.”  And every fourth count, we scream out 1, 2, 3, 4,…. up to 30.  I, in my pretty yellow Lulus, of course, stand out in the sea of blacks.  I kid you not when I say we are so packed tightly that with every jumping jacks, I get a whiplash from the blonde hair who is expertly executing the jumping jacks 6 inches in front of me.  6 inches.  Yes, you read it right.  Can a girl get some personal space around here? 

On to the squats, burpees, lunges and push-ups.

Then we run some more.

The stairs.

Then we run some more.

Squats, burpees, lunges, and push-ups. 

Then we run some more.

The stairs.

Then we run some more. 

Let me tell you something about my fitness level.  I’m no smiling daisy.  I could run a mile or two without huffing and puffing and I have done my share of burpees.  But this class was insane. It’s running, running and running.  I wanted to do the obstacle courses and have fun.  When will we every get to the monkey bars? 

Finally, we get to the obstacle course.  I surprise myself with my handling of the money bars.  I would’ve made any red-bummed monkey proud with my danglings from bar to bar. 

Then we are at a corner again.  Planks.  The instructor calls each person’s name (I have to give him credit for memorizing everyone’s name) and asks demands,

“John, are you a warrior?” 

John screams back “WARRIOR!”

“Jane, are you a warrior?”

Jane screams “WARRIOR!”  But apparently, not loud enough for the drill sargent.

“I didn’t hear you.”

“WARRRRRRIORRRRR!!!!”

I don’t see myself going back to this place.   I mean, if I wanted to run nonstop, I’d rather do it at a park.  You get a serious workout, but it’s just was not fun.  Don’t get me wrong.  This is a great place to get some serious cardio workout.  And everyone seem to love this place.  I suppose, if I really really was in need of a serious workout, I might consider it.  But right now, this isn’t my kind of workout. 

Summry:

• Serious workout
• Good music throughout
• Almost no individual attention
• Run, run, run – which is same as dull, dull, dull in my book
• Some people definitely need to invest in deodrants.

Gym interviews

I’ve been without a gym – I mean a permanent one – since February.  Right around the Valentine’s day – perhaps fueled by my first solo Valentine as an adult – I opted out of the ever-so convenient NYSC.  I’m really not a gym person.  But I really am a food person.  So, in order to be a responsible food person, I need to grit my teeth and pretend to be a gym person.  I did that at NYSC.  Religiously I went to the 7 pm spinning classes.  Or I tried to anyways.  You see, for me, spinning is all I could handle at the gym.  I find all other acts of cardio b-o-r-i-n-g.  I loved my spinning classes at NYSC.  BUT – it is always freaking full.  So I call ahead to reserve 4 hours ahead and I’m put on a waitlist.  I call 8 hours ahead and I’m still put on a waitlist.  I suspect there is a black market for the NYSC spin classes. 

Anyhoo. 

So, I’ve been wandering.  Trying some of this and some of that.  Kinda like Miss Bunsofsteal.  Only, I’m not savvy enough to not not pay for it.   But, I do have a freakishly impeccable memory, so I will try to memoralize my experience here. 

Reviews coming up -

Bootcamp Republic
Warrior Fitness Bootcamp
360 Fit
Cindy Lai Fitness
Soul-Cycle
Yogaworks
Yoga to the people
Real Pilates
Stacy’s Bootcamp
Crunch

And hopefully coming up:

Flywheel
Equinox
Physique 57
NYHRC
Exhale Spa
Clay
Sports Club/ LA and many more

“I might have a date.”

A conversation from this past Friday evening.

Moi:  Got any plans for tomorrow?  Wanna do something?  A little shopping maybe? 
Mon amie:   ….
Moi:  Shoes.  I need some shoes.
Mon amie:  I might have a date. 
Moi:  You MIGHT have a date? 
Mon amie:   It’s this guy I met on Match. 
Moi: Awwwwkay?
Mon amie:  He mentioned something about maybe giving me a shout this weekend. 
Moi: A shout?
Mon amie: Yeah, like we might hook up sometime this weekend.
Moi: Hook up? 
Mon amie: Yes, just chill you know.  Nothing formal.  Just kick around for bit.
Moi:  Chilling and kickin.  Oh, I get you. 

You might have a date? 

That is just so wrong.  Not making plans, a concrete one, one that will actually happen, for a chance of kicking with a loser who hasn’t had the decency to properly ask you out on a first date?  I should know.  I read my fair share of self-help books.

Mesdames Schneider and Fein must be having double heart attacks by now.  Do you remember them, of The Rule Fame? 
Accordingly to these ladies, we aren’t suppose to accept a date for Saturday after Wednesday.  The point is, you are suppose to have a life without the dude. 

And we all remember this one, If I’m So Wonderful Why Am I Still Single, by Susan Page.

Well, ladies, you are single because you are wonderful and you are wonderful because you are single.  Seriously, you we do not need a man to be and feel wonderful.  It’s a mantra we should all be repeating. 

If you are like Mon amie and blowing off your friends for that chance to chill and kick with a loser from the cyberspace, may I suggest, Act like a lady, think like a Man, by very funndy Steve Harvey.  
And ask yourself, do you really want to kick or be kicked?

Good Eats – Mamoun’s Falafel

Where else can you get a healthy filling meal, a drink and a decadent dessert for 5 bucks in NYC? 

If you’ve spend anytime near the NYU campus, you probably not only heard of Momoun’s but also have braved the rain, snow, or the UV rays to line up for those mouthwatering falafels. 

I always go for the Falafel with hummus. 

The pita pocket is loaded with lettuce and tomatoes. And the falafel is made with chickpeas, so is the hummus, so it must be healthy, right? 

Mamoun’s – I declare thee a contender for the best hole in the wall place in NYC. 

Yum.

Mamoun’s, 119 Macdougal St (south of W. 3rd).

Yogaworks

After a weekend of no exercise (too hot to move, but it was too hot to eat, so nice counterbalance there), I trekked down to Union Square area to try Yogaworks.  I got there too late for the YogaWorks 1 which is aimed at beginners with balancing issues, such as myself, so I went ahead and bravely took the Vinysa Flow, which is recommended for those with previous yoga experience. 

This is a description of Vinysa Flow from Yogawork’s website:

A vigorous, demanding style of yoga which links breath and movement through a heart building sequence of postures. For the physically active with previous yoga experience.

Easy enough.  I’m no yogini but I’ve taken a few yoga classes here and there.  And sure, I’m physically active. 

The class started out kinda dull.  You sit on a block and breath.  Then you breath some more.  And then some more.  You are supposed to clear your mind and let your mind wonder to nothingness.  Close your eyes and make sure your eyeballs don’t roll around behind the closed lids.  Ok.  Eyes closed.  Check.  Breathing.  Check.  Clear the head.  Um.  What am I supposed to think about?  Let your mind wander.  Wander where?  Is it possible to not think about anything at a given moment?  I think I’ll stop at the Trader Joe’s on my way home.  Stop thinking.  But TJ’s going to be a zoo on a Monday night.  Don’t think.  But I really do want TJ’s chocolate yogurt.  Damn it.  Is there too much sugar in that yogurt?  Stop.  Ok, I’m relaxed now.  Breath.  You are doing good.  Just breath.  Is that pins-and-needles I’m feeling on my left foot?  Great.  Be one with thy self.  Breath.  Fight the power.  Breath.  Ah.  Finally.  Silence of the mind.  Peace.  Then a sudden – Ohmmmmmm.  Holy crap.  Ohmmmm.  I can do this.  Ohmmmm.  Ohmmm.  Oh, we are done ohm-ing now? 

OK.  We are done breathing.  I get ready for the downdog, updog, warrior I and warrior II, etc.  But.  Apparently I don’t speak Yoga.  We are doing Uttanasana, Tadasana, Sirsasana, Crapolasana, dontknowwhatsupsana.  What happened to good ol’ dog poses?  Luckly, I’m right behind a super-yogini, so I do my best to follow her.  30 minutes into the 90-minutes class, I’m sweating.  This is good.  I need to feel the sweat dripping down my boobs to feel like I’m actually working out. 

But holy crap! What is that smell?  Smells like an armpit or two.  I do a little sniff test on my own.  Of course not it’s not my armpit that stinks.  I’m triple protected by strong-enough-for-men-but-made-for-women.  I scan the room.  My nose zooms into this guy diagonally across.  Prime suspect.  Ugh. 

Class ends with the supine position, which is my favorite position in the whole wide world.  Then we breath some more.  We sit up and end with one Ohmmmmm. 

Summary:

• Ok workout. 
• The class was great for stretching those often unused muscles.
• I don’t speak yoga.
• Hairy people should not be allowed to do yoga unless quadruple protected by the titanium deodrant.
• I am going back (time permitting) to try few more classes, hopefylly the signature YogaWorks class and Yoga Blend classes. 

What’s hot now!

It’s bloody hot outside.  Freaking 91 degrees.  Being that I’m from the North of the North Country, the only think I could will myself to do is to sit, try to be very still and sip my iced coffee, whilst getting  a mani and pedi. 

I’m usually the deep-red for the toes and light pink for the fingers type of gal, but today I opted for the vibrant orangy-red.  It’s Fifth Ave by Essie.  So very hot.

Excuse the bruises on my feet.  Those war wounds are from my new stilettos.  The price I pay for pretty shoes.

If I were going out – and I’m pretty sure I won’t cause I have this fear of melting – I would pair my awesome Fifth Avenue nails and toes with…

Norma Kamali Jersey Racerback Maxi Dress ($15 at Wal-mart, yes, that’s right 15 bucks)

and a simple, nude colored wedges, such as this one.