Bistro Chic

What a jam-packed morning! I’ve already run 4 miles, went to yoga, and the grocery store – all before 10:30 AM! I love being on vacation!

Now, onto my post for the day. As many of you know, it has now been two weeks since my husband and I put ourselves on a restaurant diet – opting to not spend any money on dining out. But yesterday – on the first day of my staycation, we decided to use a gift card and treat ourselves to lunch. 

Let me tell you, we were so excited about going out to eat and really excited that we could do it without going off of our restaurant diet. We contemplated several outings and several different choices of restaurants. We decided to head to the Lincoln Park Zoo in downtown Chicago for a touristy vacation activity. But, before the zoo, was the main event (at least in our minds it was) – going out to lunch!  

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

When deciding on where we would lunch near the zoo, we contemplated between Mon Ami Gabi – a very nice French restaurant, or RJ Grunts, a Chicago icon known for its sandwiches and salad bar. We’ve been to both restaurants several times before and have had great experiences at both. We decided on RJ Grunts (I was so looking forward to their yummy french fries), the original Lettuce Entertain You Restaurant – as the sign says on the door.

RJ Grunts in Lincoln Park, Chicago, IL

Boy, did we make the wrong choice. The restaurant was so incredibly crowded on a Monday during lunch that we waited for 30 minutes for a table in a high traffic area. Next, it took us another 10 minutes for a server to even acknowledge us. And, come to find out when I finally ordered my sandwich, the server told me they no longer serve french fries but homemade chips! At this point, my husband and I were very disappointed and I even contemplated leaving. But, we stuck it out in hopes that the food would make up for our initial experience. 

My husband and I decided to split a “Mr Chicken” sandwich – similar to a beef sandwich with au jus sauce, but with chicken, peppers, and cheese. My husband also ordered a big bowl of chili to subsidize our split. When our sandwich arrived, the staff had pre-split our meal which I thought was a nice gesture.

Mr. Chicken Sandwich - my split

The meal, including the homemade chips, looked tempting, although after one bite I concluded that the sandwich was really nothing special – another disappointment. Much to our delight, the chips were quite good, some crunchy, some soft like french fries, although you wouldn’t find me dipping then in ketchup anytime soon. 

The highlight of the meal was actually the dessert, one of RJ’s famous chocolate malts and that my friend was worth every penny of $4.50 we deducted from the gift card.

Overall, our first dining out experience after a two week restaurant hiatus was a little lackluster – leaving us feeling very unsatisfied and a bit hungry. It could have been the food, it could have been the atmosphere, or it could simply be that we are becoming even bigger food snobs. Or maybe, just maybe, our restaurant diet is helping us see that dining out isn’t all it’s made out to be. 

Check please!

Good morning friends! It is a gorgeous morning today – so much cooler than it has been for the last week which makes for great running.

I am on vacation this week – woo hoo! But, contrary to what many of you might guess, I’m not headed to Paris or even sunny Florida, I’m staying put. Yes, this will be my first-ever, true Staycation!

Palm trees and paradise: you will be sorely missed.

A few months ago, when I was deciding what to do for my summer holiday, I came across a story about how the British have embraced the concept of staycations. A recent poll in Britain showed that 60 percent of Britons, or 37 million people, are planning to stay home for vacation this year. That’s double the amount of staycationers as last year.

Taking staycation simply means opting to stay in your own country or even your own home, rather than venturing abroad or out-of-town.  Although it’s not as exotic as I like, a staycation was much more friendly on my budget this year than my typical vacations. I’ve also been traveling quite a bit this year for work, so the urge to travel really hasn’t been that strong lately. At one point, I was actually adverse to traveling – or at least getting on a plane – gasp! I’m even a little glad that I won’t have to worry about paying luggage fees, sitting in the airport for hours because of delays, or waiting in long lines anywhere. Although I will miss the palm trees.

MY STAYCATION HEAVEN

Pina Colada - On my staycation list!

When contemplating what to do on my staycation, I decided to jot down all of the things I like doing on real vacations:

• Relaxing by the pool or at the beach 
• Listening to live beach-type music (a la Jimmy Buffet)
• Exploring historical or cultural sites
• Going out to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (ie. eating vacation food)
• Perusing eclectic shops
• Walking around outside at night
• Getting a massage or having my nails done
• Wearing vacation clothes – like sundresses, etc.
• Taking a drive or walk by the water
• Enjoying many frozen drinks with little umbrellas
• Getting up late and taking a nap whenever I want to

Unless I’m traveling to Europe, my vacations usually center around sun, fun, and relaxation. So, nearly all of my vacations have included the activities mentioned above. Although I will have company in town for part of the week, my goal is to try to do a few of these activities in my area or right at home.

10 GREAT STAYCATION IDEAS

Staycation idea: Pack a picnic and head to the zoo or botanical garden.

If you’re planning on taking a staycation this year, here are a few ideas on how to have a real vacation without venturing too far from home:

1. Explore your city or a nearby city as a tourist
2. Get a spa treatment – or indulge in a whole spa day!
3. Attend a local ethnic festival
4. Have a picnic at a local botanical garden or zoo
5. Stay out late and sleep late
6. Invite friends over for a fancy cocktail party under the stars
7. Attend an outdoor concert or listen to live music
8. See an off-broadway play or Shakespeare in the Park
9. Enjoy dinner at a restaurant similar to one you would have eaten at if you were on vacation – ie. Missed out on Paris? Go to a French restaurant? Couldn’t afford Aruba? Try a Caribbean or beach-themed restaurant.
10. Read a book (that you’ve been wanting to read for months but just didn’t have the time) from start to finish.

Happy Staycation Everyone!

A Garden is the Best Alternative Therapy — Germaine Greer

My husband and I have several very large gardens on our property – inherited from the previous owner who just happened to have a very green thumb. So, at some point every summer, I get the urge to garden – and that time is now.

Although I am far from having even a light green thumb, I do appreciate a well-kept garden. I especially love and admire the large fancy gardens and love to explore them whenever I have the opportunity. For instance, whenever I’m in England, I make it a point to view the large gardens at Hampton Court and the smaller gardens around the city and in the country. They are gorgeous!

THE ICONIC ENGLISH GARDEN

An English garden...

The English are amazing gardeners and they have amazing gardens! Gardening is even considered by many to be the nation’s most common pastime. From topiaries to fountains to hedge mazes and the legendary garden gnome, so much thought and care seem to go into the English garden. In the country, especially on the large estates, gardens are destinations for tourists and locals alike. I just don’t know how they do it and especially how they find the time to do it. 

WHAT’S IN A TRUE ENGLISH GARDEN?

Topiary - a necessity for a true English garden

But what is the quintessential English Garden? According to ICONS: A Portrait of England, the English garden has been influenced by many other cultures so it is a mix of international, historic, cultural, social, and individual influences. 

Whether a pretty cottage garden resplendent with rose bushes, honey suckle, sweet pea and primroses, or a grand country sprawl refined with its perfectly manicured lawn, the English garden in all its many forms has been an iconic part of English culture for centuries and continues to move with the times, growing and transforming yet all the while remaining one of England’s most coveted and celebrated icons. – ICONS: A Portrait of England

For those outside of the gardening world, the English may be considered borderline obsessive about gardening. I see it as taking great pride in your personal piece of Mother Nature, no matter how big or small that piece might be. 

GARDEN DREAMS

So here I am, thinking how my garden no where near resembles a true English garden. Yet, I have always wanted an English garden – from the time I was a little girl and saw the film The Secret Garden. I wanted the big, beautifully shaped hedges, the dramatically colorful flowers, an unusual topiary, and of course, a garden gnome.  

Let me clarify something  - I don’t absolutely love to garden but I want my garden to look like I love gardening. However, gardening has become almost a necessity when you have so many to keep up with and can’t afford to have someone else do it for you. Just yesterday I walked around the whole property for the first time since the big thaw and nearly had an anxiety attack seeing how the weeds had overtaken my flowers and how my overgrown hedges had very little of their intended shape.

GETTING DIRTY

My not-so-English garden...

This morning, I was up at 5:30 AM (just a habit) and out the door – rake, bucket, and gardening tools in hand. I weeded – yes weeded – for an hour and a half – until it was time for yoga. And let me tell you, after fighting with tough weeds for that long, I really needed to relax and center myself.

I went back into the garden this afternoon to tackle more weeds and other trimming issues, but finally admitted to myself that if Rome was not built in a day then Jennifer’s garden was not going to magically transform into an English garden in a day. 

But, nonetheless, I will keep pulling away at the weeds and hacking away at my hedges until they resemble my idea of a peaceful and inspiring setting. 

Then again, maybe I’ll just get the garden gnome and call it a day.

Bonjour everyone!  Sorry I’m so late posting today. It’s been a VERY busy morning. I first want to say farewell to the King of Pop Michael Jackson – you were an icon to generations and will be missed by millions. And, just as ABBA said, Thank you for the music!

My morning run was not the greatest today. After only 5 hours of sleep, I even debated not running. I should have listened to reason.

This morning I was really in the mood for peanut butter, so I made a toasted whole grain English muffin spread with 1 tablespoon PB and a little raspberry jam – delish! And, because of the recent news about the Mediterranean diet, I also decided to start my day with a big bowl of fresh fruit – complete with cantaloupe and blueberries- juicy!

My yummy fruit medley.

What? You haven’t heard the news about the Mediterranean diet? 

WHAT THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET IS NOT

Before I get to the news, first let me point out that the Mediterranean diet is not a real diet, as in to go on a diet. It is rather meant to describe the foods that people in the Mediterranean eat on a regular basis.

9 MAIN COMPONENTS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET

For all practical purposes, the standard Mediterranean diet includes the following:

1. Moderate alcohol intake
2. Limited red meat
3. Fish and seafood
4. Olive oil
5. Vegetables
6. Fruits
7. Nuts
8. Cereals
9. Limited dairy

Now that that’s clear, here’s the latest – A brand new study in the British Medical Journal once again found that the main components of the Mediterranean diet can have significant health benefits. I know, I know, scientists have noted the many health benefits of the Mediterranean diet before, but this is new news. And plus, I can never really get enough news about this diet – I find it so fascinating.

Legumes are one of the Mediterranean superfoods.

EAT THIS, NOT THAT

This time, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Athens found that within the Mediterranean diet, some of the foods may provide more benefits than the others.

Over the course of about 8 1/2 years, researchers 23,000 Greek men and women compared the health of the participants as they followed a Mediterranean diet. Here’s what they found…

In regards to overall health benefits, the lowest performers were…

• High intake of fish
• High intake of cereals
• Low intake of dairy

While the superstars or the highest performers were...

• Moderate consumption of alcohol (mostly in the form of wine)
• Low consumption of meat
• High consumption of veggies, fruit, nuts, olive oil, and legumes

A GRAIN OF SALT….

Please note that this is not the end-all, be-all study. The researchers did point out that the results of the study are not universal, meaning they may not find the same results in other populations, or even within the same population. In fact, experts independent of the study point out that the Harvard study leaves out a very important feature of the Mediterranean diet – what the diet does not include, such as foods that contain high amounts of sugar and preservatives.

So, as you can see, that is why I started my day with a big bowl of fruit – and the peanut butter didn’t hurt either!

If you’re feeling a bit saucy today, take a gander at these yummy Mediterranean inspired menus and recipes courtesy of The Food Network Canada.

Ta for now – I’m off to the market to pick up a few of my Mediterranean favorites!

It’s been 10 days and my husband and I have not given in to the temptations of dining out. But let me tell you – this restaurant diet is tough! Not only have we sacrificed our day-to-day treats but we’ve even turned down or cancelled lunch/dinner dates with friends – or at least post-poned them until after July 14.

But I guess it’s not all bad. We’re rediscovering the joys of cooking and trying to prepare each meal with a European flair -whether it’s by adding new ingredients, dining al fresco, or having an ethnic-inspired dish. 

There are still many things that I miss about going out to eat – the convenience, the fact that I don’t have to clean up after, and the setting of being somewhere other than my dining room.

But last night, my husband proved that we can have a European dining experience right in our own home. 

After working a very long day at the office, I was surprised with an already-made dinner waiting for me when I arrived home. But, not only was dinner already made, my husband had cleaned the house and set a very simple but romantic table setting. Take a peak:

A very simple but romantic tablescape for dinner

Notice the red rose? He cut it fresh from our garden – what a nice touch! And yes, that is French citron pressé (fresh-squeezed lemonade) on the table.

As some of you know, my husband really enjoys food – it makes him happy to eat. And, like the French, he loves to try new dishes with off-the-cuff recipes as well as eating in courses.  So, in true French and Italian style, we started our wonderful meal with a bread and cheese course and a little olive oil for dipping. – yum! A few hours prior to dinner, he had stopped at the local bakery and picked up freshly-baked 12-grain bread. He paired this with fresh-sliced Swiss and white cheddar cheese.

Freshly-baked whole grain bread

Next, we dined on hot-off-the-grill chicken salad with my husband’s homemade Sesame Asian dressing (he makes all of his sauces and dressing homemade!).The salad was filled with red-leaf lettuce an tons of raw veggies like peppers, carrots, and cucumbers.

Grilled chicken salad with homemade Asian dressing

The Asian dressing was a great mix of flavors and really enhanced the taste of the veggies in the salad.

Scott’s Sesame Asian Dressing and Marinade (the recipe according to the man himself)

• 2 tablespoons Sesame Oil (This can be reduced and add more olive oil)  - Trader Joe’s has a decent priced good sesame oil. 
• 2 to 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• A good shake or two of garlic powder (maybe a 1/2 teaspoon)
• A good shake or two of onion powder (maybe 1/4 teaspoon or less)
• A good shake or two of dried basil (1/2 teaspoon)
• A good shake or two of white pepper (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon)
• A couple of twists of the sea salt hand grinder (1/4 teaspoon)
• A good shake or two of dried cilantro (1/4 teaspoon)
• A good shake or two of ground ginger (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon)

Vigorously whisk or shake ingredients together until well mixed.

Use 2 to 4 tablespoons for your salad dressing, and use the rest as a marinade for grilled chicken or beef. A twist of orange or pineapple can be added for sweetness.

We topped off the dinner with freshly made Ghirardelli chocolate brownies – still warm from the oven!

That’s right, after 7 years, my husband remains a romantic at heart. But I still had to clean up the dishes.

Happy National Pink Day Everyone!

As you all know from my previous post, my husband and I are on a one-month restaurant diet, giving up spending money at all dining establishments, including Starbucks (Gasp! Can this be true!). 

Well, yes it is and let me tell you, giving up Starbucks for a month is like breaking up with your best friend – and that is hard to do. It’s been 9 days, and counting, since I had my last Starbucks. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about running to the green mermaid with open arms. Does she miss me as much as I miss her? Now I know how smokers feel when they are trying to quit.

A sad day in Starbucks land...

BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO

Nearly every day of the week I would pass by at least 3 Starbucks on my way to work. I would not say that I felt tempted, because Starbucks was not a treat, it was a necessity in the morning for me. Now, I still pass by those same three Starbucks, whimpering a little as I fail to turn into that familiar parking lot. The first few days were extremely difficult, with extra stress at work combined with less and less sleep at night. During business meetings, I would see team members with Starbucks cups and think they were tormenting me. I seemed to want Starbucks all the time, but that feeling became less and less prominent by the end of the first week.

TRYING TO COPE WITH A STARBUCKS LOSS

On one tough morning, I even tried replacing my frozen frappuccino  with the bottled liquid version you can buy at the grocery store. But, who am I kidding, it’s just not same. It’s almost like a tease, they make you think you are getting a frap by putting the name on the bottle, but then give you a second-rate drink – kind of a bait and switch.

Also, my husband I would frequent our local Barnes and Noble, which happily, and quite conveniently sells Starbucks’ addictive java concoctions. We used to love going there to just be among the books and, of course, enjoy a hot chocolate and a double chocolate chunk cookie. Although I have been to that same B&N in the last week, I passed right by the cafe without stopping or looking in the general vicinity of the counter. I wonder if the people behind the counter, who know me by face, are sneering at me because I’m not making my usual stop??

Fueling my Starbucks addiction at Barnes and Noble Cafe...

CAN A BREAK UP HAVE BENEFITS?

Ok, enough griping. I’ve been telling you all about the hardships of giving up Starbucks, but now I want to share the good things about breaking my Starbucks habit. 

To compensate for my loss, I’ve been trying to replace my Starbucks habit with other, healthier habits. Before, I would eat breakfast at home, then stop at Starbucks on my way to work. Getting the Starbucks was automatic even though I wasn’t very hungry after breakfast. Now, I get to work a little earlier and treat myself to a more relaxed, slow breakfast of Greek yogurt with gourmet – but less expensive than Starbucks – tea, or something equally as yummy.

Taylors of Harrogate English Breakfast tea - A Starbucks replacement.

And, because I’m not eating breakfast at home, followed by a “second breakfast” at Starbucks, I don’t crave sugar for the rest of the day like I used to. And, those yummy giant chocolate chunk cookies I used to buy at B&N have been replaced with smaller, but still oh-so-yummy homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. With these new habits, I’m actually saving more than a few dollars, a few hundred calories each day, and have lost a little weight in the process. But, unfortunately, when you make 4 dozen cookies and eat them in 5 days, it kind of has the opposite effect on your weight. 

Now, for those of you who are still addicted to Starbucks and wonder why I’m putting myself through this grief – take heart! I haven’t given up Starbucks completely. If someone were to offer to buy me a tall mocha frap – I would be happy to oblige in his or her generosity.

Summer Solstice – It is a time when pagan, druids, Christians, and many other religions celebrate the longest day of the year. In Latin, Soltice is derived from sol – meaning sun – and sistere – which means to stand still, hence the longest day of the year. For modern pagans, the Summer Solstice is a spiritual holiday, celebrating the marriage of heaven and earth. In the United States, Summer Solstice takes place on June 21 each year, which also marks the first day of summer.

Stonehenge - in all of it's glory.

In the United Kingdom, Summer Solstice is not seen as the beginning of summer, but rather as midsummer. In Celtic folklore, midsummer is the time when fairies and other mystical beings come out of hiding to dance and join in the celebrations. The famous bard himself – William Shakespeare – dramatized this legend in his play A Midsummer Night’s Dream, one of my favorite Shakespearean plays.

I was listening to my favorite classical radio station yesterday – June 21 – when I was delighted to hear Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, narrated by none other than British actress Dame Judi Dench (M from the James Bond films). This version of the story is probably my absolute favorite rendition. There’s nothing like hearing Shakespeare spoken by a true Shakespearean actress!

Celebrating Summer Solstice usually involves bonfires, music, dancing, and, many times, large festivals where people stay up all night to welcome the rise of the sun. One of the most famous festivals takes place at Stonehenge in England. I’ve been to Stonehenge and it is a very unique place, full of mystery and beauty. During the week of Summer Solstice, people travel from all over the world to Stonehenge for many believe it is a sacred place, grounded in druid religion, but shrouded in Arthurian legend.

Although my husband and I are not pagans, each year, we try to celebrate the Summer Solstice in our own way, whether it’s taking a nighttime walk together or having dinner outside on the deck listening to classical music. This year, we combined many of these things by going to an outdoor concert, complete with dining under the sun followed by dancing under the stars.

An outdoor summer concert to celebrate Summer Solstice!

It truly was a beautiful evening, but our attempt to stay out into the wee hours of the morning fell short. We ended our celebration just before 9:30 PM, much to my husband’s disappointment, and headed home. Even after leaving the celebration early, I still did not get to sleep until after 11 PM, which made for a very early morning, considering I had to be up at 5:45 AM to be at work at 7:30 AM.

Hence, no run, no yoga, and no yummy breakfast picture to show you, just a lot of dark circles under my eyes. Maybe next year, we’ll plan a little better!

Happy Summer Solstice everyone!

Bonjour everyone! Hope your morning is as sunny and warm as mine is! I started my day off with something rich and sweet –  coffee cake. Not my typical healthy fare, but it was so good that I didn’t care! In preparation of this tasty treat, I ran a few extra minutes – it’s all about balance ladies!

Pecan coffee cake and English Breakfast tea- a sweet treat for breakfast!

And speaking of rich and sweet, for those of you who follow British news (like I do), the Royal Ascot took place last week. Many of you might wonder – what exactly is the Royal Ascot? Well, quite frankly, it is a posh horse race, similar to the US Kentucky Derby or the Belmont Stakes.

Royal Ascot takes place over 5 days in June at the Ascot Racecourse. Ascot Racecourse is a famous English racecourse, located 50 minutes outside of London. It is one of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom and has close ties to the British Royal Family. Royal Ascot is one of the world’s most famous horse race meetings at Ascot, dating back to 1711. It is a major event in the British social calendar, and press coverage of the attendees and what they are wearing often exceeds coverage of the actual racing.

According to several reports, Royal Ascot 2009 was attended by Queen Elizabeth II, who has been to every Ascot meeting since 1945. The monarch, who arrived with the royal family in their traditional carriage procession around the course, wore a golden yellow-and-white silk dress.

Now, I’ve never been a gambler, but it has become a tradition for my husband and I to go to the horse races over Father’s Day weekend with his parents.  Each time we go, I can’t help but think of the wonderful movies that featured British horse races. Sadly, our race course will never be of My Fair Lady quality, but it did undergo a huge renovation a few years ago which greatly improved its reputation.

And they're off! A day at the races with this Bistro Chic girl...

But, as I mentioned above the real reason women in Britain go to the Royal Ascot is to see and be seen – particularly in their fancy dress clothes and hats! So, this year, during my annual trip to the race track, I thought I’d do a little investigation to see how fancy women attending a local US horse race really are. 

To prepare, I sported my own pink-striped, wide-brim hat and dark sunglasses which allowed me to remain incognito during my investigative assignment. Being in disguise definitely has its benefits!

To my surprise, and despite the very warm temperatures, I saw very few hats being warn by women. And, many of the hats I did see would not be considered fancy enough for British taste (unless baseball caps have become Ascot-worthy). I walked up and down the aisles and throughout the grandstands, hoping to find at least a few lavish brims. Although it took most of the afternoon, I did find a handful of these gems, although they were definitely not as showy or flamboyant as those seen at Ascot or even the Kentucky Derby. 

A sample of hats from a day at the US races!

There was one other older woman in a very large navy-brimmed hat with white polka-dots. Wow, that hat was something else! Too bad the women was in the upper grandstands where I could not get a good shot of her.

Well, after nearly 3 hours of sleuthing around, I really had no more to show than a few basic brims and sore feet. I heard from a reliable source – aka my mother-in-law –  that you have to get to the track really early to see the best hats. I guess the early girl gets the hat in this case!

I’m off for a fun-filled day of shopping and then on to an outdoor musical performance!

Ciao!

Bonjour everyone! Hope you started your day with a great breakfast. I sure did – just look:

Melon Yogurt Parfait - a yummy breakfast treat!

I served this up in a martini glass – gotta use those glasses for something!

I also started my day with something other than a morning run…..can you guess what it was?

Elliptical?

Did I try the elliptical this morning?

Nope. Spinning?

Or spinning?

Guess again!

It was Yoga! Yes, that’s right, this diehard running snob has decided to throw in a little low-key cross-training to her fitness plan.

Now, I have to admit this was not my first yoga class. I took a yoga class a few years ago and did enjoy it quite a bit. I really only took it to learn the basics of yoga and then planned on doing yoga at home using DVD’s, etc. Yeah, like that ever happened!

Back then, I never seemed to make yoga, or any cross-training, a priority. It was always, run, run, run. But now, after reading more about the knee, joint, and back problems of long-time runners, I’ve decided that I need to make cross-training a priority again.

So, that is why today, I decided to go to a local studio yoga studio and join the beginner yoga class. But why did I choose yoga over the elliptical (it’s collecting dust in my humble abode) or cycling? 

I’ve been reading more and more about the health and wellness benefits of yoga, particularly for strength, balance, flexibility, and for stress reduction and relaxation. I’m sure this is not new news, but for some reason, it has just now arrived on my radar screen.

YOGA – FRENCH STYLE

I’ve also read that yoga is highly popular in France, especially Paris. Now, the French are definitely not known for being gym rats and they actually quite loathe breaking a sweat. For the most part, they do not see exercise as an activity where you actually need to change your clothes and go somewhere else to work out. But according to a recent article in Yoga Journal magazine, yoga class is one event where many Parisians flock to on a regular basis. Unlike Americans who typically take yoga to gain strength, lose weight, and get in shape, the French practice yoga for relaxation and to reduce stress. Ironically, one of the more popular yoga classes in Paris is Bikram  or Hot yoga, where the room is heated to 105°F with a humidity of 40% and people leave drenched in sweat.

THE RETURN OF OM GIRL

I planned ahead for this yoga class, buying a new pair of capri yoga pants, giving myself an Olive Oil Pedicure (because everyone knows that yoga requires pretty toes!), and clearing my schedule for the morning.

My new super yoga pants courtesy of the Gap!

I walked into yoga class feeling confident about my choice of clothing but a little uncertain about my ability to bend. Although it was beginner yoga, I had to wonder whether or not I’d be any good at it. I was a little relieved and actually quite pleased with myself that I brought my own yoga mat, when many others in the class had to borrow from the center – novices, or so I thought. I was only one who raised my hand when asked who was “new” to the class. 

Early on in the 60-minute class, I became quite aware at just how many muscles are not used when running. Natural flexibility is quite a gift, and if you are blessed with it, you should be thankful! Flexibility is not really a necessity to be a good runner, but I would qualify myself as moderately flexible. However, I’m fairly confident that with the right amount of yoga I could easily become quite bendy. 

For a beginner class, this was somewhat of a difficult class for me, and from the looks of it, other people felt the same way. But it was not the poses or positions I had difficulty with, it was the pace of the instructor and my ignorance of yoga terminology. Monkey pose and happy baby were only vaguely familiar terms and I surely did not remember how to get into those positions. But, I yogaed on!

Although I had a hard time with many of the positions and the frequency of changing poses, I was happily surprised to find that some positions came very easily to me – like tree pose and warrior one. And, even at this beginner level, my muscles were stretched beyond belief and girl, did it feel GREAT! After 60 minutes of feeling like I had a full-body massage (with me as the masseuse) I seemed to reach a little farther, bend a little easier, and stand a lot taller.

With a busy Saturday afternoon ahead, I was not too sad to see the class end on time. And hey, there’s always next week!

At this point, I’m months away from achieving a perfect downward dog (without help from the instructor), but I made it to class at 8 AM on a Saturday and that’s a great start! So, will I become a true Om girl? I think it’s too soon to tell. But, for now, I am happy to have yoga back in my life. 

Namaste