ClassPass has arrived in Boston!

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Have you guys heard of ClassPass yet? It is AWESOME.

I first heard of it through the 'fit community' of bloggers. It started out in NYC and just a few short months ago - came to Boston!

So, what is it? Basically it's a one-month, 10-class pass to some of the best fitness studios in and around the city. I love this because it provides the option to try new workouts, meet new people, and continuously challenge the body. How many times have you said "Well I'd love to do Pilates, but, my gym doesn't offer it" or "I love my studio, but, it would be nice to mix it up every once and a while". Wish granted, folks.

You're probably wondering what something like this may cost... well, it's actually pretty comparable or even less than most city studios and gyms. The pass goes for $99 per month, can be paused at any time, and once again... provides A LOT of variety. There's boot camp, spinning, Pilates, barre, Yoga, flywheel, dance-fit and a lot more.

The other really cool thing that I noticed about the Boston pass is that the studios expand outside of the city - as far South as Pembroke and as far NW as Concord. There's also one in Dedham and a few in and around Newton. Seriously, lots of variety. There are 33 participating studios in and around Boston and 156 in and around NYC (whoa). 

See a full map of the Boston locations ---> here.
And, NYC locations ---> here.

If you guys have any questions  - holler at me! Over the weekend I was told that Rebecca signed up a few weeks ago and LOVVVEESSS it. (she's on vaca right now so I'll pick her brain later, but, I was glad to hear that)

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Anyway, tonight I checked out C2 Pilates in Southie, I took the Pilates Athletic Conditioning class on the reformer with Eliza. Now, I used to teach mat Pilates, but, holy mother of pearl this was WAY different. That device everyone is sitting on above turns into a sliding machine of agility and balance... then, add a trampoline to the end of it to do jumps that burn, baby, burn. Let's just say, I was really challenged. As someone who usually feels pretty confident in a workout class, I was making mistakes left and right. Man, it is totally different than anything I've ever done before and thankfully, Eliza was there to help with every move. She taught the whole class standing up and walking around to really ensure we were all in the correct positions. All of a sudden the class was over and I wanted to do more. I'm really excited to check out another class there (I think I'm going to try barre next!)

As I check out more studios, I'll be providing more reviews. Where do you guys think I should go next? Have you tried ClassPass? What do you think? I'm REALLY interested.

It's almost Thursday, my friends! Have a great rest of the week. xo

 

(ClassPass did provide me with a complimentary one month membership after speaking about my interest in the program. I am not paid to write posts and as always, options and reviews are my own :) )

Garden in the City (Year 3!)

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So, if you've been following this little blog for a while, you know that for the last few years I've put together a 'City Garden' on my deck. There's nothing better than fresh veggies from the garden! Organic AND inexpensive - whoo!

If you want a refresher on how these little gardens all started... click here and here. I come from a family of gardeners, however, I am by no means an expert. I've been learning as I go. My mom/sister/aunt all start their seedlings in late winter under lamps in their dining rooms. I go to the store and buy everything already started. That's ok though! Whatever works!

This year, I picked up my herbs/veggies/flowers from both Whole Foods AND Lamberts. My trunk was filled to the brim!

One thing I learned last year is to definitely put newspaper down before starting to pot. Last year, some dirt fell threw the cracks and I felt bad because it dropped onto my neighbors deck (whoops!)

If you are starting a potted garden, remember... you still need to till the soil in the pots... just because it isn't in the ground doesn't mean it doesn't need to be treated that way. Soil in the pots can have roots from prior year or be really packed down from the winter. Make sure it's loose before you start planting. You may also need to ADD more soil. I bought two more bags this year (added a few pots, but still)

I like to grow what I cook with the most in addition to adding flowers for prettiness. From the top of the above photo: tomatoes, Italian flat leaf parsley, chard, and basil.

From the top of this one: more Italian flat leaf parsley, mint, gerbera daisies, and tomatoes.

The above starts with geraniums (top right - very hearty for New England Summers!), rosemary in the blue pot, then lettuce, thyme, and another geranium.

Another pretty shot of geraniums and basil.

So, not only does a garden provide meal ideas for the entire summer and into fall, it's also a great way to teach kids about the importance of having a garden and growing your own food. I grew up picking lettuce, green beans, squash, zucchini, etc from our garden. I knew the difference in taste between a store-bought tomato and a tomato from the garden (a big difference). Plus, it's extremely cost-effective AND quite attractive. My deck is so pretty now! Last but not least, this put me in a REALLY good mood. My mind has been racing lately and the few hours it took to put this all together really relaxed me. Now, I love going out onto my deck to see how everything is coming up. It's really an accomplishment.

Is anyone planting a garden for the first time this year? If I can't answer your questions, don't worry - I'll ask the experts in my family and get back to you right away. Good luck and happy gardening!

xo

Life Lately_5.27.14

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First and foremast, Happy Birthday to my niece, Ella, who turns 8 years old today! The sweetest girl who has brought so much love to our lives since 2006!

Ella and Jonathan, Summer 2013

So, I know I've been an absent blogger lately. There has been a lot going on that I'm not ready to talk about on here yet, but, I'll do my best to get back on track. So here's what else has been happening lately... 

Jenn's bachelorette in Miami was a blast! The weather was perfect and the company was incredible. Jenn is prettttty blessed to have such awesome girlfriends in her life.

Nights out on the town followed by days at the pool and beach equaled = fun & relaxation at its finest. I am so happy for Jenn and excited for the wedding (in just a few short weeks!). Eeeeek!

Once I got back from Miami, it was time to REALLY focus on training for the Run to Remember half marathon. Remember this race from last year? It's a pretty special one around these parts. This year, I was already in the middle of my sugar-free challenge, which really helped with my training. Besides that, I pretty much followed the plan that I did last year: long runs every weekend, boxing classes 2-3 days, and a short run once per week. What helped this year is that Rob also ran it so we were in the same boat in terms of long run days, being in pain, nights we had to stay in, nutrition etc.

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To me, the best part about long runs is getting into the city and taking in the views. These are a few of the photos I took during my long runs. I would just put my arm up in the air with my phone in hand and snap a couple shots. Funny how some of these came out so good!

As I get older and smarter with training, I've learned a couple really important things:

1.) Do the plan that works for you. I've found that continuing my boxing classes keeps me strong and my endurance up. I may not run as many miles per week as most half marathoners, but, I'm injury-free, strong, and balanced.

2. Pay attention to your diet. Fuel properly. Cut back on the sugar and increase the protein intake. Your body goes through a lot during training and it needs to be properly nourished.

3. Rest days and foam rolling are essential. Listen to your body. Rest is just as important as training days. Yes... JUST AS IMPORTANT. Muscles need to recover to get STRONGER.

Finally, race day arrived and I was as nervous as I always am before the race. I woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed at 4:45am on Sunday morning (race began at 7am). Rob couldn't believe how awake I was, but, adrenaline was already pumping! I made a gluten free english muffin, downed my vitamins, and continued to drink water.

After my nerves settled and it was time to line up.... Rob headed to the front of the pack with the 6-minute mile crew (I know, crazy good) and I hung out at the 8/830 group. I looked down to put my ear buds in and noticed the little rubber cover that keeps the bud in my ear must have fallen off. So, (without panicking) I put my problem solving skills to work - took one of the energy gummies out of my pocket, rolled it into a ball and stuck it on the end of my ear piece and stuck it in my ear. It worked! Although it kind of blocked the sound haha

We finished! Rob completed it in 1:28:19 and in 106 place out of 7172 runners!!! He shrugs it off like it's NBD. I think he's superman.......
I finished in 1:58:47 (#2692)... my second best time. I was happy with that. Endurance-wise I felt great... My ankles though... man... for the last few long runs they start to kill at 8 miles. I've taken the last two days off. Tomorrow, I'll head back to boxing! All in all, it was another great experience. The weather was perfect for running and it's always incredible to see so many runners and police offers running for their friends and family. <3

Anyone have any races planned lately? Did anyone run the Run to Remember this weekend? How did it go for you?

Hope you all have an awesome week! xo