Move your Bolly-licious Body with Doonya

Posted on March 27, 2015 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

It’s Move It March! Yeah, March is making us mad so we are reclaiming the month in efforts to leap off our comatose couch-bound status. Sadly, there is snow AGAIN on the ground and, with the irresponsible nature of Chicago Spring, indoor workouts are a must. As we all need variety (or vari-itay as one could say), we jumped at a recent invite to sample a unique world dance inspired fitness class, Doonya. Khushboo Rami, our fearless instructor and 1 of 2 Doonya instructors in the whole Chicago area, warmly welcomed us to the River North Gym for our first Doonya experience.

Some of you probably have an inkling of what Doonya is all about from some alluring TV commercials. Seriously, we had our debit card in one hand and the remote in the other debating on whether to buy their streaming online classes. Doonya has actually been around since 2005 when innovator and super fit co-founders, Priya and Kajal, aspired to develop what they were doing in their Indian dance troupe to a replicable dance fitness method. Khushboo was the 4th trained instructor in D.C. and carried the brand with her when she moved to the Chi. So, what can you expect when you lace on your Reeboks and get ready for your flash dance moment?

Khushboo explained that Doonya has some major components that are present in every class, no matter where you attend. There is always a mix of high and low energy cardio and 4 major dance styles are weaved throughout the class: Indian folk, Bhangra, Classical Indian dance/conditioning, and Bollypop (Indian popular dance sometimes mixed with mainstream Western pop/rap). The signature moves, like the Bollytap, glute lifts and knee lifts, crunchy standing ab moves and the heel flick, you will be able to catch the rhythm after a few songs. Once you have a few favorite numbers, you can request your best Bolly-shaking tunes on Facebook or directly to your amicable Doonya instructor.

So how did our first class go? Well, although we both work out (yoga, running, dance), our bodies were still challenged by Doonya’s high impact cardio sections. Khushboo broke down basic moves before beginning routines which made it less intimidating for us newbies. Near the middle, we found our sweaty spot but weren’t too concerned as the infectious dance music keeps you moving. We really loved the M.I.A. “Bad Girls” remix and were super surprised by the challenging nature of the classical moves at the end. Your thighs will shake!

Ready to throw on a kurti and give it a try? Khushboo teaches on Thursdays at 5:30 pm and drop in classes are only $15. You can also sign up for a free 3 day pass for River North Gym and try your first Doonya class for nuthin’. The gym is hiding on the 10th floor of the Merchandise Mart so take the Brown or Purple line if you don’t wanna mess with parking. We can’t wait to go back to work on our shoulder shimmies.

Here are a few of our fave Bollywood jams to get you in the bollymood for Doonya. Do you have a secret Bolly-jam? Let us know so we can expand our collection!

Dilli Wali Girlfriend

High Heels

1, 2, 3, 4 from Chennai Express

YogaWorks Guest Post: 5 Yoga Poses for Jump-starting a Home Practice Sequence yoga

Posted on March 25, 2015 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

We’ve had this lingering intention…the intention of rising with the sun and doing yoga to get the day started right. This intention turns into slapping the snooze button for 30 minutes and then grumbling out of bed. As the sun’s coming out a little more these days, we thought we’d seek some expert advice on a sequence that might give us the structure we need to make daily yoga a habit! Enter Sarah Ezrin, a Los Angeles based yoga teacher, Lululemon brand ambassador, purveyor of joy, and our guest yogi! Sarah also teaches for YogaWorks and the online MyYogaWorks platform which offers over 500 online classes and 24 hour access so you can get that at home yoga guidance.

Sarah offers 5 starter poses to help us and you build your home practice! Pictures are courtesy of photographer, Julia Heredia, are were taken during Sarah’s Costa Rica retreat (jealous….).

5 Yoga Poses for Jump-starting a Home Practice Sequence by Sarah Ezrin

Child’s Pose – Child’s pose is no child’s play. A great posture for grounding one’s energy, it creates a conscious shift inward as one is literally folded in upon themselves. Come to kneeling on the floor big toes together, knees slightly apart and sink the hips back toward the heels, laying your belly over the top thighs. This pose can be restful with the arms relaxed by your sides or made more active with arms forward reaching energetically. Elevate the head with a block or even stacked fists is as it will align the spine and create space for the neck and shoulders. Feel free to repeat throughout the sequence as needed.

Cat/Cow Breath – Open the heart and awaken the core with this pair of postures. Practiced dynamically (meaning moving with breath) this set warms up the spine. Start in a table top position, aligning wrists under and shoulders and knees below hips. On an inhalation, create a backbend by lifting the chest bone up towards the ceiling and gently taking the gaze up, back of the neck long. Exhale round the back tremendously by pushing the palms into the floor and hollowing the bellybutton. Gaze toward the naval. Repeat five times (with an inhale/exhale counting as a single rep) following the natural flow of breath.

Downward Facing Dog – Probably the most notorious of yoga poses, no practice is complete without a down dog! Lengthen the spine and release the entire back body, which gets stiff from hunching over those iPhones. Start in a table top position, pressing the hands evenly into the floor. Tighter shoulders will benefit from having the hands slightly wider than shoulder’s width. Curl the toes underneath and begin to lift the knees off the floor while extending the hips up and back. Start with the knees slightly bent and work lengthening the spine. Straighten the legs and press the heels toward the floor. You are looking to create an inverted “V” with your body. If the spine feels rounded, the lower back or hamstrings (muscles at the back of the legs) may be tight, so keep the knees slightly bent to get more length. Make a long spine priority over straight legs. Beginners may experience wrist pain. Be sure the entire hand is pressed into the floor at the knuckles and fingers lengthen forward actively.

Reverse Warrior – Feel both beautiful and strong with this expansive standing pose. Tone the outer hips and lengthen the inner legs, while the added side stretch expands the lateral body improving breath. Start in a wide stance, arms out shoulder’s height and feet as wide as the wrist (about a leg’s distance). Turn the right leg out from deep within the hip and the back leg and hip facing inward slightly. Bend the front knee until the thigh is level to the floor, tracking the front knee and ankle. This is Warrior 2. On an inhalation, lean back placing the left hand lightly outside the left leg and stretching the top arm overhead. Hold for eight full breaths or play with the pose dynamically moving in and out from Warrior 2 with breath.

Supta Baddha Konasana – Often, the most potent poses in yoga are the quietest. Soothe the mind and nervous system, while also releasing the hips. Start lying on the back with the knees bent and feet flat onto the floor. Allow the inner knees to fall open like the wings of a butterfly and gently place the soles of the feet together. Pulling the heels inward toward the groin will create a stronger release of the inner thigh. Rest one hand on the heart and the second on the belly for more grounding or take the arms overhead and grab elbows to stretch the side body.

Just for the record, #5 is a Chi Organic Girls go-to pose for relaxation. Check out this sequence to find your zen (and maybe find a reason to get out of bed earlier) or share your favorite yoga sequence with us.

5 Easy Tips for Mental Wellness

Posted on January 28, 2015 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

Ok, so does anyone feel like they just took off their NYE party hats and watched January fly by? February is coming up in a few days and one of the themes of the month is heart health (Ya know, Valentine’s day and all that). Apart from the physical care of your heart through healthy foods and exercise, another lesser thought of factor is caring for your emotions (stress, loneliness, depression and the like). We so often focus on the physical and often ignore our mental health needs! Our friends at the Rooted Center are guest posting this week to share ways we can minimize stress, check in with our emotions and improve our mental well being to make this February full of self care.

Guest Contributors

Shruti Sekhri of Rooted Center

Dr. Katie Ray, DC

Heather Fraelick, LMT

Heidi Shimko, LAc MSTOM, NCCAOM BOARD CERTIFIED, ACUPUNCTURIST, REIKI MASTER

When it comes to all over well being it seems as if a lot of us are focused on working out or improving our diet. When we gain weight or get sick, we turn to medicine or again to focus on our physical health. What if taking the time to nurture our mental health and well being could help prevent weight gain and other health issues? Mental wellness is just as important as exercise and nutrition, because when we are stressed, our cortisol levels spike which causes a slew of health issues. When we are stressed, we may not get enough sleep, we turn to emotional eating, and we simply don’t feel well. Here is how we can help lower stress and improve our allover well being with mental wellness tips!

1) What is the importance of mental wellness?

Mental wellness is pervasive and impacts our physical health, intellectual capacity and our relationships. When our emotional life is out of balance, it can manifest into physical ailments (we’ve all heard about stress caused illnesses), it can drive us to make reactive decisions that are driven from hidden emotions rather than clarity, and it can cause us to have unhealthy relationship interactions. By practicing mental self-care, we can reverse these undesired results and instead gain self-confidence, self-worth, and greatly improve our quality of life.

2) How can we become more aware of how we feel?

The first thing that we have to do is set the intention to become more aware. Once we have that, then we have to give ourselves permission to allow any feeling to be OK – in other words, we have to let ourselves know that we don’t have to judge if we are good or bad for feeling the way that we do. This creates the safe space for us to start feeling what we feel.

Once we have the safe space, we can have some tools to dig in: 1) put an alarm on your phone twice a day and ask yourself – how am I feeling? Where do I feel it in my body? How is my breathing 2) do some stream of conscious journaling – that means just write anything that comes to mind even if it makes no sense 3) Try to just grab a set of pastels and start doodling on some paper and see where it leads you.

3) What are some ways to cope and deal with stress?

Stress is pervasive and it can actually even be stressful to try not be stressed. The first thing to do when you’re feeling stressed is to stop what you’re doing and take a deep breath. Then, see if you can go for a 10 minute walk. If that’s not an option, start doodling or journaling to find what is creating your stress. A lot of times, when we know what is creating stress and anxiety for us, the knowledge itself starts to release us from it.

4) What holistic health practices also help maintain a mind body balance that can help with mental wellness?

Some key practices that help our mind and body stay connected and drive towards mental wellness include acupuncture, reiki, chiropractic care, massage therapy, aroma and essential oil therapy, yoga, nutritional balancing, and certainly talk-, equine-, or art- therapy.

5) What are 5 things we can do daily to maintain a healthy mental state?

1) Schedule time for ourselves – even if it’s 10 minutes (you don’t have to stress about how much or if it’s enough)

2) Set alarms on your phone to check in with how you are feeling

3) Notice how you are breathing and see if you can extend your breath once in a while

4) Spend time talking to someone who gives you empathy rather than advice. Advice is good, but to feel understood is paramount. In fact, see if you can find an accountability buddy and just text each other one thing that you did for yourself that day

5) Take a moment to find something you’re grateful for every day

Oh and treat yourself sometimes! Rooted Center is hosting “Be Your Own Valentine” on February 7th from 4-7 pm to give you a chance to Love Yo’ Self with mini spa treatments, expressive art sessions and more. The $25 dollar suggested donation goes to NoStigmas.org. NoStigmas is a global non-profit movement utilizing Peer-2-Peer connections to promote mental wellness and prevent suicide. Their individual approach provides education, support systems and access to mental health resources at no cost.

Your Fittest Week Ever

Posted on January 19, 2015 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

Don’t give up on those resolutions yet! Chicago land is popping this week with low cost and free fitness workshops, health and nutrition seminars and fun events. Oh and it’s nice-ish outside so you could attempt to brave the outdoors…so, take that winter!

Wednesday Jan 21

Speaking of running, isn’t it more fun with a pack? Join other lady runners at Fleet Feet Lincoln Square for Chick’s Night. Runners and walkers are welcome and routes range between 3 and 6 miles. Can’t do a Wednesday? Run clubs are also available on other weeknights through Fleet Feet.

Thursday Jan 22

“Shake and pop. Shake and pop.” Do you ever imagine you’re dancing at a club during your cardio classes? Your dream is now a reality! Join Flirty Girl Fitness, live DJs, 3 different dance instructors, back up dancers, lights, sound, and fellow cardio heads at the first ever Club Cardio Concert at Sound Bar. Tickets are only $15*, cheaper than the usual drop in, and drinks are available for purchase. This is for the grown and sexy so 21+ only allowed.

Are you trying to explore food allergies or gluten free living? Bountiful Eatery is hosting a gluten free meetup from 7-9 pm on Thursday. Holistic Health Coach, Joy Duginske, and Gluten Free Mom, Tiffany Hinton, will share tips and thoughts on gluten free lifestyles. Attendance is free! RSVP here.

Friday Jan 23

Do you ever tip toe around your living room pretending to be the Black Swan? Ok, maybe that’s just us. Aspiring adult ballerinas and hip hop heads can take free classes at the Joffrey Ballet (GASP! So exciting) at Free First Friday.

Free First Friday

Joffrey Ballet, 10 East Randolph

12:00-1:00 pm Keep Fit Ballet with Kim Sagami
1:15-2:15 pm Pilates with Zineb Chraibi
6:30-8:00 pm Intermediate Ballet with Lynne Alberding
6:30-7:30 pm BeMoved with Jennifer Edgcomb
7:00-8:00 pm Hip Hop with Dantriell Houston

Saturday Jan 24

Whew! You made it to the weekend. Now chill and enjoy the fine art of meditation at 9 am with Hamsa Ayurveda and Yoga founder, Monica Yearwood. No need to register! Just show up and experience the brain changing power of meditation.

Free Meditation Group
Saturdays, 9 am (open and ongoing). Hamsa Center, 3807 N. Lincoln Avenue.

And then hype yourself back up with free and intense cardio from CrossTown Fitness at the South Loop Lululemon store. Join Kailee Martin at 3 pm at the Roosevelt Collection. You must register online to attend.

Sunday Jan 25

2015 is a year for dancing! Learn some Latin moves for free and heat up your winter at the South Shore Cultural Center with Chicago’s Winter Dance.

Winter Dance, South Shore Cultural Center, 7059 S. South Shore Dr.

2-3pm – Lisa “La Boriqua” Latin Street Dancing (salsa lesson)
3-5pm – Viva! Marc Anthony Tribute Project (live salsa band performing two 50-minute sets)

New Year’s Mind, Body and Soul Detox Workshops

Posted on January 2, 2015 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

Did the holidays leave you dazed, not dazzled? Do you need a little help forming what 2015 will look like this year? Lisa Payne, celebrity trainer and fitness writer, and Sarah Baker, Chicago based health and wellness consultant, are teaming … Continue reading →

Pure Barre Lincoln Park: Fit Review

Posted on December 5, 2014 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

10 brave women made it out in the cold after a appetizer, sides, and pie holiday to get their fitness on this past Sunday at our first ever private Chiorganic Girls class at Pure Barre Lincoln Park, an admirable feet given the tendency to want to sleep off the lingering food coma. We were grateful for our motivation to attend as we got a kick a*@ workout that toned and tightened to reset the good habits and prepare us for the back to work grind.

Lincoln Park Pure Barre is a brand new workout hot spot that just opened November 4th. Ashley Gertz, owner of the newly opened Pure Barre in Lincoln Park, opened the location because of her personal love of barre classes and keen business sense. She welcomed our group with a tour and an overview of what Pure Barre has to offer. Ashley, a former marathoner and avid runner, found that cardio didn’t promote toning and strength so she joined the River North Pure Barre and was hooked.

Marguerite, our teacher, gave us the overview of common moves of Pure Barre and then we got cracking with an immediate plank set (WHYYY??). Bubbly pop music as well as giggles from class participants offset the strenuousness of the miniscule muscle movements. We rolled through abs, arms, legs and ended with (sigh*) more abs and a bridge set to tense up the tush.

After class, we took our shaky legs to the lobby area for complimentary Kashi and Luna snack bars as well as raffle for 2 lucky participants.

And now, we are sore…very pleasantly “can’t walk up the stairs so well” sore, evidence of a real workout. Wanna check it out? Pure Barre Lincoln Park offers new students a very affordable unlimited month of classes for $99. If you join now, you can also compete in the Jingle Tuck challenge (15 classes in 30 days) for prizes and the ultimate win, a retreat at a spa in Arizona.

Free Workout Class at Pure Barre to trim those turkey thighs!!

Posted on November 20, 2014 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

Usually the idea of wiggling into a pair of hot pink leggings on the Sunday after Thanksgiving to go workout may not be so tempting but when it’s for FREE!? We’re so excited…and we just can’t hide it! On November 30 at 5 pm, we would like to invite you, dear reader, to don your sticky bottomed socks and long pants to tuck and trim your tush at a private class at Pure Barre, Lincoln Park!

GO US!!

Hmmm…but what are you committing to with this “Pure Barre” class?

During this 55 minute class, you will experience a full body low impact workout including strength based movements alternating with stretching. Most moves involve using your own body weight with tiny movements to change the shape and length of your muscles. The class incorporates the ballet barre, small 2 to 3 pound weights and a rubber workout ball. The goal is the lengthen the muscles to create a lean (not bulky) look…and yes, you will do some planks.

And what do you have to do to join us?

Send us 1,000 dollars worth of unmarked bills in a nondescript envelope to secure your spot. JK follow the instructions below.

What: Private Chiorganic Girls Holiday Trim Those Turkey Thighs Class

Where: Pure Barre, 2058 N. Halsted, Lincoln Park, IL

When: 5 pm, Sunday, 11/30/2014

Who: You lovelies!

Dress Code: Long workout pants or capris, socks (no shoes needed)…oh and of course, wear a top please

Sign Up? RSVP here with you and any guests names. Please let us know, as well, if you decide to cancel. There are 23 spots available.

Now you can feel good about stuffing yourself (in moderation) with your family. Meet us at the BARRE!

#Run10Feed10 First 10k Run Recap!

Posted on October 31, 2014 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

This past Sunday, I ran my first 10k with Run 10 Feed 10 and Women’s Health…and boy are my gams tired! I did it! And next time, I’m dragging Monica to run with me. My popular co-blogger had yet another wedding to attend that day.

And what did I learn from the fab event? For those of you moving from 5ks to the next step up, know that it is possible to be ready in 4 weeks! This is coming from someone who used to hate running.

Amateur 10K tips:

1) Don’t stress! There was plenty of people walking and taking breaks. Your first 10k should be enjoyable and don’t feel guilty if you have to pause to catch your breath.

2) Get enough sleep.

Ya’ll know Halloween is coming, yeah? So I had a lil pumpkin carving party the Saturday eve before and maaaybe stayed up a bit too late. You need your full body strength to be at optimal performance so go to bed on time!

3) But not too much sleep.

Ok, so rookie mistake. My anxiety got away with me and while I woke up at 5:30 am, I went back to sleep until 7:30 and then had to pull a Ferris Beuller’s day off and ramp myself into my workout clothes and on to the highway to get to the start line 5 minutes after the race started.

4) Take in the scenery

Running outside in Chicago is a treat (no tricks here). Other than dodging goose poo in a small section, the race jaunted along the picturesque Chicago lakefront. The continually varied foliage and fauna…oh and the Grub Hub running team with their hotdogs and turkey shaped hats…is way more interesting than staring at the wall while on the treadmill.

5) Revel in your results (and the after party)!

My time wasn’t super fast but I have gained about 2 minutes of speed since I first started running. Women’s Health put together a sweet after event with a post race yoga, free post race fuel (Nestle Choco Milk, Bagels and fruit), athletic massages and beauty touch ups from Panasonic. I was surprised to see Allison Sweeney of Biggest Loser there as well. She gave out the post race awards, none of which I won. Maybe some day!

Thanks to Women’s Health for allowing me to contribute to this spectacular event.

Jump Away Calories at Sky Zone

Posted on October 22, 2014 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

Ok 80’s babies, sing it with us. Sky Zone will make you “Jump, Jump”! Yes, now Kris Kross is in your head, suckers.

We had the distinct pleasure of bounding on over to a trampoline haven at the newly opened Sky Zone in Elmhurst, IL, our Chicago neighbor to the West. Jump-a-whaaa? It’s basically a warehouse full of tramps (the hoppy kind, people) set up for your child-like nature…and children, if you have them, of course.

When we arrived, we felt a little nervous about the thought of trampling small children with our lack of coordination as we saw them running into the building. Sky Zone has a pretty sweet set up, however, to make sure adults and kids leap with ease. Sky Zone has scheduled jump times to reduce crowding and several jump arenas with different activities.

So what ya do when you get there?

First, we signed a online waiver, grabbed our cute pink sky socks (in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month) and stopped by the snack bar to get some water.

Jump Tip #1: You don’t need to pay for water. There are water fountains (uh duh, why didn’t we look earlier?). There is no slushie fountain, though, so you will need to pay for that Blue Rasberry Slushie craving you have.

We started our jumpsperience at FOAM ZOOOOONE with some very inept flips into a big pile of orange and blue foam cubes. There’s a monitor in each area directing flip traffic so you can belly flop, front flip, or just slide down the trampoline on your face into the pit…as one of us did (heheheh).

Jump Tip #2: Wear Jump appropriate clothing. Half shirts, low riding pants and thong panties may be a bit too revealing as you claw your way depths of foam helllll. Seriously, its a struggle getting out of those cubes!

Next, we moseyed over to the open jump dome and were surrounded by all ages of jumpers. The coolest aspect about open jump is that its organized chaos. The dome is divided into personal trampoline squares so jumpers can have their own private trampoline dreams without being tackled by a fellow participant. As we jumped back and forth between each other’s squares, we noticed how dang hard trampolining is. We burned calories, sweat and didn’t even feel like we were working out until our legs revealed their shaky nature once we left the dome.

Jump Tip #3: If you use the Sky Zone lockers, put your key somewhere safe! Ours jumped right out of our pocket and left us with a $10 locker key replacement fee.

Finally, we tried out WNBA aspirations at Sky Slam, the Slam Dunk section. One of us, the tall one with hops aka Monica, enjoyed the area, while the other, the shortie, got kicked out for trying to dunk in the kids line. Kate can’t slam dunk and now it’s been proven by cold hard evidence.

Sky Zone visitors can try their hand (or legs) at Ultimate Dodgeball. We just didn’t feel like getting smacked in the face by 8 year olds so we skipped out. Fitness classes are also available for those who want a dedicated low impact/high calorie workout without all the rug rats running about.

Final Jump Tip:

Sky Zone is affordable (fitness classes are only $10 and open jump is $15), fun and will make you fit! Check out the class schedule and open gym times here and hop to it!

Experience the Great Outdoors (sans bears) with REI!

Posted on October 10, 2014 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

Yo, did you notice the leaves are changing color and the Chi temp is dropping? Yup, Fall is falling on us. Relaaaaaax….you don’t have to hibernate just yet. Fall is an awesome time to get in touch with your naturalist side (and not your running naked down the street naturalistic side, mmk). It’s not sweatingly hot and Mr. Misquito is making his retreat which makes this season a lot more pleasant for outdoor adventures.

SAM_0597

Two weeks ago, we got the opportunity to take a lil’ hiking roadtrip, aptly titled Hikes and Hops, to Matthieson State Park and Starved Rock Lodge with the Chicago REI Outdoor School. For those of you who don’t catch fish with your bare hands, REI is a leading seller of outdoor goods but also does outreach to help us city dwellers up our survival skills.

SAM_0592

First, all class members got treated to the eye opening induction of Starbucks coffee and snacks as we got organized outside the Lincoln Park REI store. The class maxed out at 10 people which was an intimate way to get to know other group members. Our REI guides, Marisa and Chuck, were friendly fitness enthusiasts. Both teach stand up paddleboarding in the summer and Marisa also leads SUP yoga. As we took the relaxing 1.5 hour ride in a comfy blue 12 passenger van towards Ottawa, IL, Chuck and Marisa told us fun facts about the area and shared wildlife books to prepare us for the resident park creatures. Luckily gators aren’t native Central Illinois-ans.

Once we got to Mathissen State Park, we made formal intros and did a circle share of what we wanted from the day. Most group members echoed wishes for beautiful weather and animal sightings. We were treated to both! During our 70 degree day, we meandered past waterfalls and sandstone cliffs. We saw frogs and toads (Marisa’s toad sighting wish was granted) while in the company of a diverse bunch of travellers, including a college professor/amateur astronomer, book reviewer/yoga teacher and systems manager/geologist. Needless to say, we had really stimulating conversation, some which centered around how to manage a zombie apocolypse as we trekked through the quiet woods.

Mid day we ended up at the bottom of the lower vale and explored some hidden cove type areas. Our guides then busted out a machete (or maybe it was just a kitchen knife) and skillfully ninja-ed up a watermelon and fancy cheddar cheese for us to munch on.

On the last leg of the day, the scenary changed and we entered a lulling prairie with yellow butterflies and waving native grasses. We embraced the quiet moments of the trip as well as our surroundings lended themselves to reflection and private thoughts.

At the end of our hike, we were treated to entrees and drinks at the Starved Rock Lodge, hence the Hops came into play. We split a tasty helping of panko breaded avocado fries with a spicy red chimi sauce before our main meal. Monica picked a light and fluffy mushroom polenta while Kate ate a BBQ pulled pork with crispy waffle cut sweet potato fries. Even with all that hiking, we were so full we had to skip out on the homemade ice cream and possibility of flourless chocolate cake.

So we can tell you are feeling slightly jealous of our beautiful day. Why not have your own? REI school has upcoming Hike and Hop classes as well as Urban Kayaking. If you are new to nature, you can do basic bike riding classes, survival skills (for those “walker” attacks!) or even map reading. We are especially partial to the Bike and Beans class. Get caffienated while toodling on a bike at various Chicago micro-roasters? Yes sir! Sign up for an REI class ASAP! Your life may depend on it ;).

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5 Yoga Poses for Jump-starting a Home Practice Sequence by Sarah Ezrin

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Free First Friday

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Amateur 10K tips:

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