Water and Wine Wellness

This morning I had another fabulous dose of some sparkle Shimmy Pop Hipline goodness.  Every month Lululemon offers community events on weekend mornings and today they got the Elmwood streets-a-shakin’ to the sweet beats of Beyonce, Niki Minaj and Pitbull.  I am always amazed at how these classes come together.  As a fitness instructor, I am constantly trying to find ways to make my class fun, energized, challenging and creative… I want my clients to walk away thinking, I can’t believe I laughed that much and still had my ass kicked!  This morning I was reminded of Deb’s uncanny ability to do just that.

At 8:30am, about 15 sleepy, somewhat nervous and excitable ladies gathered in the open front room of Lululemon in Berkeley.  Then another 5 women show up… quickly filling the colorful room. We shuffled around,trying to find our little dance corners, politely trying to not take up too much space or be too close to anyone.  Cue Sean Paul… Deb springs to action and brings it all together… The trajectory of these early morning hip hop dance classes seem to start with the same slightly timid, sleepy dance moves, awkwardly thrown about, a sideway glance here and there.  “Am I totally off beat? Yes. I must look rediculous, I can’t see the teacher, I am trying to get it perfect, ugh failing!”  The pace picks up, the blood gets flowin and then well, once you start sweating bullets and belly laughing, something shifts.  All the sudden, the “workout” barrier between near strangers in a room starts to fade and you realize, we’re all here to have a morning dance party, and what could be more fun that a little booty slappin and dropin down low before 10am? eh eh?

All of the sudden, a room full  of grown women are hooting and singing out of breath, ripping their t-shirts off and doin some supafine “spinal unjulations.”  You get so tired at min 45, you can barely lift your knees but you can’t stop because you’re just having too much fun.  At one point, since I was at the back and couldn’t see any of the choreography (not that I was doing a very good job following it anyway), I happily resigned to having my own freestyle dance party of my own choreography in the storefront window.  I’m sure the drivers and bikers at the College and Ashby stop light enjoyed the show.

After the last song ends, we strike a pose, and there is a tangible surge of energy in the room.  Its like every woman is the hottest dancer, gleaming with sweat and ready to be best friends with everyone.  We stand in line, patiently waiting to hug and thank Deb…all thinking, how can I get more of that wild, hilarious vibrant sparkle into my life everyday.

Thanks for another inspiring class — I’ll be sure to make reservations well in advance to save a spot at Hipline to keep reminding myself how good I feel after an hour of Shimmy Pop — I recommend you do the same!

xoxo
Lydia

Come one, Come all!  You know you want your own customizable tie-die attire.  I seriously wear my two scarves almost everyday! We had a lovely afternoon at Alamo Square Park modeling for Nurse Rachel’s Tie Die!  Thank you for all for making this happen!
Check her amazing goods out at her Etsy page: etsy.com/shops/nurseracheltiedye
Photography by Kim Bartel  photography
Models: Autumn Gray Burrell, Kai Mekonnen, Kristin Burrell, & me

 Nurse Rachel herself! So beautiful!

Well, I have a newfound love of tie-dye!  As much as I’ve tried to tap my inner dead head, my passion for tie-dye never quite took flight after a few poor attempts at summer camp.  That being said, I think my interest has been sparked thanks to Rachel Daniels, artist and entrepreneur founder of Nurse Rachel Tie-Dye.  She has been brought the spectrum of free love and good vibes to the Dailey Method with her cool tie-dyed sticky socks and Kind Scarves.  Both are so spunky and brightly irresistible.  Check her out on etsy and of course pick your scarves and socks and Dailey Method Mission Castro!

xo

Lydia
http://www.etsy.com/shop/nurseracheltiedye

Well, we got a happy message last night that a welcomed addition to our family has arrived!  My cousin’s new little baby Autumn Gray took center stage at Marin General Hospital and now she’s got got me thinking about how postpartum fitness can begin to be reintegrated into a new mama’s routine!  Undoubtedly, getting back into the fitness groove has countless hurdles as well as benefits.  Let’s focus on the benefits shall we, including raising your metabolism, shedding those extra pounds, and keeping your energy up to fight stress, post-preggers blues, and fatigue.  Not to mention its invaluable effects on your mood and overall well being — plus you’re setting a good example for the little tike

But the questions still linger – When?  How much?  Can I wear my white lulu lemon pants after labor day??

Firstly,you probably should not wear white yoga pants.  But more importantly, you should  get the a-ok from your doc before you start up anything new or strenuous, particularly if you  tapered off your fitness routine during pregnancy or had a c-section.  For those of you lucky ladies that had an uncomplicated delivery, the days of waiting to strap on some tennies a strict 6 weeks after giving birth a disappearing along the horizon.

If you feel strong after your first week after birth, you can start incorporating some light exercises:

-  Walking: start slow, making sure you have a good sense of balance and pacing.  Your body has just pushed a ton of relaxin through your joints so you’ll be a little more limber and less steady — watch your step!

-  Light stretching – Stretching should always feel good, pushing to the point of heat and tension, never pain.  Be gentle here – side stretches, child’s pose, and roll ups are a nice way to ease in.

- Modified pushups – try a few standing up, leaning into a counter or wall. Keep your shoulder blades flat on the back of your rib cage, your sternum and chin lifted and tighten your abdominals from all four sides of your waistline.   Keep the movement slow and controlled.

- Abdominals – Be gentle in your incorporation of abdominal work- I mean honestly, all those muscles just spread to kingdom come.   Incidentally, babies take up quite some space between those sturdy obleques, so your abs will need anywhere from 4-8 weeks to come back together.  The catch is, doing a bazillion crunches is not necessarily the way to zipper back up — in fact crunches can sometimes do more harm if your not careful.  Depending on your delivery, you will have a varying width of separation.  Try lying on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor.  Place your palm on your belly, near your belly button and begin to curl up slowly.  If the soft space right in the middle of your belly is more than 3 finger widths, avoid curls all together and stick with very controlled pelvic tilts and leg slides (keeping low back on the floor the whole time, sliding one leg along the floor away from you  at a time)…   Beautiful shot below – hot mama!

When you do start curling again, alway imagine pulling your tummy down to the floor rather than pushing out.  I like to think of my belly button as a button on a mattress (I mean who doesn’t?!). That inward contraction will help fire into the deepest layer of abdominals and avoid pushing out into the linea alba, thus causing worse separation between your abdominals.  Take a look below at these fabulous photos below– notice the first picture her tummy is pouching out (boo) and the second its sinking down towards the floor.  Nicely done Esmerelda!

Remember fellow fitness fellas, take it easy, most important thing is that you’re allowing your body to heal first.  No matter when you begin to incorporate your fitness goals and routine back into your life, always remember to listen to your body, what feels good and comfortable.  Be patient and you’ll see and feel results before you know it!

Rock on mama!

Lydia

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise-after-pregnancy/MY00477
http://www.babycenter.com/0_postpartum-exercise-is-your-body-ready_196.bc
http://exercise.about.com/cs/exercisehealth/a/postpartumexer.htm
http://www.befitmom.com/abdominal_reconditioning.html

In need for some iPod revamping to give your workout a fresh kick? Here are a few of my favorite beats that keep me getting longer, leaner and more revved to hit the studio

After a slight hiatus over the holiday month of December, I’m back to blogging and hungry for more!  Tonight, rather than bombarding my internet audience with a lengthy New Years Resolution sermon (don’t you worry, that one’s coming eventually), I’m easing my way back online with a tasty winters meal.

Now I will be the first to say, I’m no master in the kitchen.  In fact, I’m usually more than happy to be acting as prep-cook, clean up crew and general entertainer rather than head hancho.  That being said, I’m learning to love cooking… well, baby steps at least

For Christmas Jeremy got me Bi-Rite’s cookbook.  Bi-Rite is an innovative, popular local market in the Mission and they are known for having great everything… in their words, they are a “beacon of sustainability, seasonality, community and educated staff…”   One can imagine, shopping at Bi-Rite is an amazing experience, even for those of us that can at times feel overwhelmed with the chore of cooking and kitchening.

For tonight, we made “Delfina’s Spaghetti”from this cookbook and it turned out magnificently.  I have a few thoughts before I elaborate on the recipe:

- Before starting a cooking project, read the whole recipe… this includes not just the ingredient list (hallelujah if you have everything — off to a great start!)… but make sure to check total cook times, equipment required and techniques needed.  (Thus dinner at 10pm part– no one like that ambush half way through the recipe – what, a surprise 45min! gah!)

- Clean as you go – it not only saves a ton of time and energy when you’re in a food coma after a meal, but its a decent distraction while your waiting for  that huge pot to boil.

- Ask for help if you need it.  I was tempted to “to it all by myself” in order to present a fabulous meal at the end, but eh, it’s much more fun as a team, particularly if there is heavy lifting of boiling liquids involved.

- Go for it! Even if it seems challenging, food is always rewarding.  Its ok if it isn’t perfect, or it takes longer than expected — its more important to be unintimidated by the kitchen and adventurous in your attempts!

OK… now for the fun details!

Delfina’s Spaghetti (abridged): from Bi-Rite’s cookbook (serves 2-3) — the trick is to finish cooking the pasta in the sauce for the last few min. of cooking – yum!

Cook time: about an hour

Ingredients:
1 (28oz) can of peeled whole plum tomatoes
3 Medium cloves of garlic
Kosher salt & Fresha peppa
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
pinch chile flakes (to taste)
17 Large Basil leaves (we didn’t have these, but whew sounds good!)
8 oz of Spaghetti or Pasta
Parm

Stuff to have on hand:
Large deep skillet
Big deep pot
food processor

- Open the can of tomatoes and de-seed the tomatoes over the can.  Place the tomatoes into a bowl and break them up a bit with your hands.  Strain the seeds out of the juice and add that to the bowl as well (toss the seeds out).

- Chop garlic coarsely and add it to the oil in a hot large skillet (our cast iron worked marvelously).  Cover and let cook slowly over med. heat without letting them get to brown or toasty (5-6 min).  Add the tomatoes, juice, chile flakes, 1 1/2 c of water, 1/2 tsp of salt and a few grinds of your fresh ppeeppaa.  Bring to a boil then simmer for 45 min.  I repeat… 45 min.  (I saw this detail after it was already 9and we were ready to eat… oops!)

- After the sauce has been reduced to “a scant 2 cups”, blend/pulse in a food processor 1/3 of the sauce then add the pureed mixture back into the pan with the rest of the sauce.  Tear basil leaves into sauce.

- Bring a LARGE pot of slightly salted water to boil.  Add pasta, cook 6 min. and drain.  Save at least 1cup of the cooking water. Don’t overcook at this stage!

- Put the sauce in the same pot as the pasta, add pasta and about 1/2 – 3/4 of the cooking water back into the pot and bring to a rapid simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente, the liquid is completely absorbed into the pasta, and the sauce is reduced to a very thick puree, about 5-7 minutes longer.  (Adding more of the cooking water if need be to get the pasta to al dente).  Cooking the pasta in the sauce not only thickens up the sauce, but also lets the sauce cook into the pasta.  According to Delfina Chef Craig Stoll, “the last bite of pasta should bring the last bit of sauce with it.”

Taste and season with more salt if needed and top with parmigiano.  Eat up because it might already be 10pm!

 We also roasted up some seasonal winter root veggies: onion, heirloom carrots, red pepper, parsnips, watermelon turnips, romanesque cauliflower (ie. the psychedelic ones!), and garlic.  Paired with an toasty Acme baguette, we were all set for a cozy night at home!

Filled and ready to resolute for 2012

Happy New Year – many beautiful, inspiring adventures in store!

– Lydia

Thanks to San Francisco Sailing Company and an almost expired Groupon from last spring, Jeremy and I raced to the pier early last weekend, moments before the boat set sail.  Although we missed the captains speech they graciously allowed us to board (don’t worry, he later informed us all the safety rules while pouring us our mimosas)!  The weather stayed sweet and sunny, albeit quite cold, for the two hours we whisked around the bay and out towards the sea.  I have to say, swooning under the Golden Gate, bundled in down jackets and faux fur and each other is an impressive way to spend any sunday morning.  Mimosas of course always add a nice shimmer of celebration to any occasion.   As we crossed through the golden gate into the Pacific Ocean, dolphins greeted us and played along side the boat, while the Marin headlands stood as sentinels, towering over us and glowing in the morning sun.

Experiencing the bay from the sea level reminds me of how lucky we are to be living in such a beautiful place.  I am eternally grateful for San Francisco’s colorful terrain, varied landscapes, and quirky perks.    I love this city, this bay, these hills and bridges.

Today is Thanksgiving Day and this morning as we prepare for a parade of food and family and friends, we are baking and exercising our gratitude.  What a special tradition that centers on sharing food and generosity with our loved ones.  Plus its a great excuse to practice baking with our new kitchen aid mixer.

Today we’re baking Hazelnut Raspberry Linzer Cookies from Tomas Keller’s Ad Hoc cookbook:

  & Baked Pear Clafoutis (Pear Pudding) from  Neil Perry’s Good Food:

Good job loving life and eating and living your thanks everyone!

Onwards and upward-

Lydia

Now, I’ve never taken a dance fitness class per se, aside from a ballet class in college in which I was forced to laugh myself through to avoid crying.  Coordinated, choreographed dancing in a well lit studio, fully sober can be a slightly intimidating opportunity.  Particularly if you have flashbacks to some traumatizing dance class memory you thought you’d never have to deal with again.  Well, I’m here to tell you, deal with it and get over it at hipline.  Why?  Because you don’t have to be a “dancer” you just have to know how to have a good time, and laugh because you’re feelin good (not because you’re humiliated!)…

I had heard rave reviews about Hipline since I moved to the Bay area two years ago and while I always thought about signing up, I was nervous.  Mirrors+ skinny white girl +hip coordination & looking “sexy” or whatever= maybe next month.  BUT, everyone seemed to be having a fun time there.  I mean, a lot of fun.  The kind of fun that is infections and makes it into their personality and sends a glow around someone.  I wanted that glow.

Enter November.  I am finished with my 30 Day Dailey Challenge and I find myself ready to mix it up a little.  Aside from my sheepishness in a dance class, don’t get me wrong, I love love love dancing.  Sometimes, if I’m needing a pick-me-up, I’ll blast some music and have a solo dance party.  Although I haven’t mastered any break dance moves, some favorite pass times include wedding crashing on the dance floor, lip-syncing, and winding myself with my own spastic dance moves.

Its hard to get into a Hipline classes – I had signed up on a wait list for this class several weeks ago and so when I got the green light last night that I had gotten into the class I had no excuse.  I have to admit, when I trudged my sleepy wheels across the Bay Bridge to make it to Deb’s early morning class in the cold, dreary morning mist, the last thing I could imagine was having a dance party to LMFAO and Beyonce.  I told myself dancing will warm me up. Dancing is fun. I love fun.

What I wasn’t prepared for was however, was the fact that I was entering the best hour of my week, and perhaps the most fun work out of my life.  For the next hour, fumbling behind several rows of women, I jumped into a wild, hot, calorie-burning dance party.

Although I can’t say I was the most coordinated or graceful, soon I just didn’t care what I looked like because no one cared.  There was no right, no wrong, no do-overs or judgmental furrowed-browed perfectionists.

The tenor, energy and choreography of the class was led by a fabulous, belting, leaping, pounding, howling, lounging and swooning dancer named Deb, and I am in awe of her.  Not only does she (like most dancers) make the moves look easy, but somehow she her manor of teaching is so disarming and inviting that it seems that anyone could booty grind along.  As if the secret to becoming a world-class MTV dancer would really just be about having a good time.  Well, hell, I can do that.

I forgot how important it is to sweat, to breath like you mean it, to feel your bones and muscles expand with power and energy.  Every woman in the room was howling with laughter.  Soon, as my bangs were glued to my forehead and my pants pushed up around my thighs, panting and grinning, I realized why Deb’s classes were so hard to get into.  I wanted what each woman moving next to me wanted. I wanted that spark.  A spark is different than a twinkle or glimmer.  A spark is hot and bright and brief, but igniting.   That charge of life that permeated the small mirrored room under a little disco ball. Most women in that room were not “dancers” and we followed in hopes and efforts to capture a bit of that spark that lights Deb up from the inside out.

Wrapped in an inspired glow, I followed the filigree down the stairwell to the street after class with a newfound exhilarating discovery here on the Eastern edge of the bridge.  Hipline’s a gem and I cannot wait until the bruises on my feet go down so I can elbow my way back into that jangle of shimmy pop madness.

Until next time! Hup Hup stay low, stay looooww! Breathe!

  Lydia

I spent a lovely morning in Marin teaching a semi-private class today.  It was pouring outside in Mill Valley, but we stayed nice and toasty by the fire as we worked it up an inch and down an inch.

We enjoyed an amazing brunch afterwards, prepared by Galen (I suppose it was a worthy excuse to not take my class — that and documenting it all!)

All in all, Jeremy, Kristin, Carly, Galen and I enjoyed a great workout, great food, and fabulous company.  I’m so happy to have such a healthy, invigorating and relaxing excuse to get together each Sunday!  Plus we all get to gush over Kristin’s belly!    I have to say Microbaby did some incredible ab work today  Damn girl – you get down!