Blogasana and Battle of the Bombshells

by Julie on April 15, 2012

in Cleveland,Yoga

Hello friends!

First things first, are you coming to the Battle of the Bombshells Happy Hour on Wednesday (April 18) at Around the Corner in Lakewood? I sure hope to see you there! We are planning on raffling off tons of fun prizes plus it’s an excuse to chill out after work. Visit the Facebook invite for more details and follow us on Twitter! Also, I would looooooove if you could tweet/blog about the event. Especially if you love me :-) Haha. Here are some ideas for a Twitter mention:

“Come to the Battle of the Bombshells Happy Hour! 4/18 at 6 pm located at Around the Corner in Lakewood. @ATCLakewood @BvBCLE #BvBCLE“

“Which team are you on? Blondes or brunettes? Come to the happy hour on 4/18 at 6 pm. More details: http://www.bvbcle.org/ @BvBCLE #BvBCLE #CLE”

Also, pay a visit to my previous post about why I am volunteering with this event.

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Anywho, this weekened was off the hook, ya’ll. And, I never say “off the hook.” I’m a nerd like that I guess. The biggest reason it was off the hook was because Todd came home. He’s in the Coast Guard and is gone a lot. It sucks, but it really makes seeing him all the better when I do.

*Corny ahead alert*

He gave me this Coast Guard coffee cup and it makes me think of him when I drink out of it at work. :-) Yes, I’m corny. He brings out the corniness in me I guess. I’m weird.

While Todd was gone, he read the first book of the Hunger Games. Half-way through the week, I asked him if he was on Team Gale or Team Peeta, and he didn’t know what I meant. Maybe it’s just a girl thing (TEAM GALE OVER HERE…). He loved the book so we saw the movie on Friday night. This was my second time seeing it and I have to say that it was better the second time. I’m so cheap that I a) rarely see movies anymore and b) seeing them twice is unheard of. But, I recommend seeing the Hunger Games a second time especially if you read the book. The first time I watched it, I was comparing it to the book too much. The second time, I could really appreciate the movie for what it was: a movie. I noticed things I didn’t notice the first time around.

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On Saturday, some other bloggers and I went to Nishkama Yoga at their new location in North Olmsted. Let’s call it “Blogasana” (ha).

Still being new to other types of yoga besides Bikram, I was excited to see what Nishkama had to offer. Ylonda was our teacher and I knew immediately that I’d jive in her class. She was very clear with her instructions, exactly how I prefer a yoga instructor. We did many of the basic poses that I am still growing to appreciate. I find myself missing aspects of Bikram, but slowing but surely I’m becoming more comfortable with other types of yoga.

Becca and her husband, Brandon, are an adorable yogi-couple.

The room we practiced in was a comfortable 85ish degrees. Definitely not Bikram hotness (105), but warm enough. During class, I recognized a drip of sweat going down my forehead. Love it.

The ladies and token male (B!) in the class. Such a great group. Tons of humor and support for one another.

You know what’s really cool? Nishkama is having their grand opening on Saturday, May 5 where all the classes are free. YES, people, FREE YOGA for all! Visit the Nishkama website for more details and to sign up for classes.

They also have a first month new student special for only $65. That’s an unheard of price! Take advantage of it, trust me. I can’t wait to go back.

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Sunday night, Todd and I went to the Cavs game against Orlando. We lost – boo hiss, but it was still really fun. Can you believe that I have never been to Cavs game before this year and now I’ve been to two. I love Cleveland!

We got excellent seats. Like, holy cow, I can actually see the players kinda seats!

Best idea ever: Bring Tootsie Roll Pops for the game. Yum.

<3

I hope you have a lovely start to the week!

xo

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Top 9 reasons to visit DC Pasta

by Julie on April 12, 2012

in Restaurants

I’m not a “foodie” or an “food writer.” I am simply a girl on a budget who enjoys a cheap beer as well as gourmet pizza. The appreciation for a good place to eat comes from whether or not I leave with a smile on my face. I have no clue what spices went into my chicken tikka masala, nor can my “palate” detect a specific type of vegetable in a chili. I can, however, tell you if it was a damn fine meal and whether I’ll go back. This is my version of a restaurant review. 

Top 9 Reasons to Visit DC Pasta

The DC Pasta Company is a new and affordable restaurant in Strongsville, Ohio. It’s very easy to find, and with plentiful parking. On March 21 at 7 pm, my pal Nidhi and I arrived at DC Pasta for dinner reservations and girl talk. We left satisfied and with doggie bags to take home for lunch the following day. Overall, it was a lovely restaurant with amazing pasta. Here are the top 9 reasons you need to visit DC Pasta.

1. Goodies. They have a case full of goodies to take home.

2. Cheap wine! They feature 25 wine bottles for under $25. Cheap Financially savvy date? Sign me up.

3. Cocktails. Innovative and delicious cocktails. Only $8!

3a. Champagne + Craisins. The Pompeii is sparkly, fruity, and craisiny. We all know I love craisins.

4. White creamy goodness (TWSS). See that little plate of white creamy goodness? It went with the bread and Nidhi thought it had a bean base. It was so good I wanted to lick it out of the bowl (um, TWSS again).

5. Flavorful Dishes. First off, everything we ordered was fantastic. Each pasta dish was extremely unique and flavorful. Between the two of us, the Linguine Alla Carbonara Con Tartufo (with a runny egg poached egg) and the Gnocchetti Sardi Verdi E Blu were our favorites (at least, they were my favorites. I think they were Nidhi’s too).

(Side note: I am the worst when it comes to ordering fancy sounding meals, I usually just point to the menu and hope they get it right. I know Crystal is probably laughing in agreement right now. She knows first hand how jumbled I get when ordering dishes like “gnocchi.” I wonder if I’ll ever say it right…)

6. Portion Sizes. The portion sizes make my heart and wallet dance. They have three options to choose from: Taste ($5), Appetizer ($10) and Main ($15). Nidhi and I ordered a taste and an appetizer size each, plus meatballs on the side. This was more than enough food! We would have been fine with two tastes. This option is nice for both belly and wallet. DC Pasta is an excellent option to go to with someone who is really hungry and you aren’t so hungry. You order a taste and he can order a main. Problem solved!

7. Meatballs. They have individual meatballs on the menu for $1.50 each. You have your choice of pork, lamb, turkey, beef, and ricotta cheese (!). Nidhi and I both were excited about the ricotta cheese. Be warned though: Just order one between the two of you. It’s a lot of cheese and we couldn’t finish it all.

8. It’s vegetarian friendly. My girl Nidhi does not eat meat. Luckily, this wasn’t an issue at DC Pasta. Everything was cooked accordingly and she had plenty of options.

9. Easy reservations. I actually made reservations on my iPhone. Just went to their website, clicked a few times, and we were reserved!

I hope you enjoyed this review and that you will pay DC Pasta a visit. I’m certain you will leave happy – just like I did.

xo

{ 13 comments }

On a personal note

by Julie on April 11, 2012

in Cleveland

Hi all!

I just got back from another Blondes vs. Brunettes committee meeting. We are all very excited because we have a Battle of the Bombshells happy hour coming up next week on Wednesday, April 18 at Around the Corner in Lakewood! It starts at 6 pm and we will be featuring guest bartenders and raffling off some amazing prizes (free booze, anyone?). RSVP through the Facebook event or just show up!

It’s not too late to sign up to be a player for the June 16th Football Game! You are required to attend 4 practices (there will be a lot to choose from) and raise $250 for the cause (which, honestly is nothing! I’m certain you would raise more than that).

On a personal note:

On the outside, Blondes vs. Brunettes is all fun and games. We have happy hours leading up to a big football game event, but the whole point is to raise money for a disease that negatively impacts almost everyone. I think everyone I know has had at least someone close to them suffer or is currently suffering from Alzheimer’s.

Back in August of 2010, I wrote a post called Colorful bubbe which was a tribute to my grandmother (bubbe) who suffered from Alzheimer’s. When I lived in Pittsburgh for my internship year, I would frequently visit her in the retirement home to give her some companionship. It was pretty brutal watching her go from someone who would pinch my cheeks and tell say, “You look maaaavelous, daahhh-ling” to someone who barely recognized me. Some days, she would sit there, hold my hands, and stare at me and I’d be lucky for even a flinch of recognition.

Still, I went. I went when I could and it just became harder and harder. Frequently, she would cry. Her mind a jumbled mess of memories that she tried desperately to untangle. Sometimes, she would laugh. At what, I did not know… but I lived for those moments of giggles. Just her personality I guess.

I am volunteering for this event in honor of my grandparents. While my grandfather did not have Alzheimer’s, I know he always supported and loved my grandmother no matter what. Up until the day he died, her needs always came before his. They had the greatest love story. I am doing this for them.

There are so many charities and volunteer positions to choose from, but it’s rare when you have the opportunity to be involved with a new event to Cleveland. I think all of us, readers and bloggers, want to support Cleveland as much as possible and welcome new events and opportunities. This is such a wonderful time to get involved with an organization that hits home to many people.

I encourage you to get involved. If you cannot commit to being a player, I ask that you tweet about the events and blog about it if you have a blog. I speak for everyone on the committees: THANK YOU, Cleveland!

xo

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Decoupaging wine bottles while drinking wine

by Julie on April 11, 2012

in Friends

Bored with girls night?

Looking for other ways to chill with your ladies (or guys)?

Well, look no further my friends. My pal, Nidhi Nidhizzle, has the solution: Craft + Wine Club!

Oh yes.

I only knew Nidhi and Lindsay so I looked forward to meeting other crafty ladies as well. One of my new friends brought these blueberry Craisins – so addictive!

Most of the ladies already had a craft they were working on from previous craft nights, but Nidhi always has a project ready to go so everyone can participate. Her apartment was like one big craft room! She’s so talented and everywhere you look, you see a craft she has made in the past (definitely check out her blog!).

While there, I had memories of my bubbe (grandma) who used to be an amazing crafter. She made collages and painted. I have some of her work posted around my apartment.

The project of the night was to decoupage bottles.

Here was my naked bottle:

While going through magazines, I found this cute cut out of heart shaped hands. That was originally going to be my center piece.

I started out by cutting out different print from magazines and a random encyclopedia that Nidhi had just laying around (she has everything). Cutting soon became annoying so I resorted to ripping. It was oddly relaxing and I was very into my project.

While I was working on my text background, Lindsay was hard at work with her Ohio stamp. She was very proud of her accomplishment!

Then, tragedy struck. I could not find my original hand heart cut out. Where was it… underneath me? On the couch? WHERE WAS IT?!

…

I looked down and saw it. My hand heart was ripped in half. My project was ruined!

Wait. Deep breath. I mean, isn’t this what Craft Club is all about? Coming up with solutions to problems like this? Following your creative heart? Am I reading too much into this?!

After deep breaths and some more wine, I decided on a nature theme. I found some pretty pictures, cut them out, and pasted them onto my bottle. Then outlined them with marker.

Beeee-u-ti-ful.

Lindsay totally copied off of my bottle decided to paste text on her bottle too with her Ohio stamp. Look how cute our bottles look together? While crafting, I came up with a business idea. Julie’s Bottles {dot} com. These are the first. You can buy them for $20 each (I haven’t discussed selling Lindsay’s bottle with Lindsay yet, but if she gets commission I doubt she would care).

While Lindsay and I were putting on the final touches on our bottles, Nidhizzle was coloring butterflies. My goal next time is to create something to go into my bottle. Paper butterflies? Paper flowers? The options are endless, I tell you.

Thank you, Nidhi Nidhizzle for having me over for a crafty good time!

Hugs!

{ 8 comments }

Class one of Crossfit: Hurts so good

by Julie on April 9, 2012

in Family,Healthy Living

I had such a fun weekend! Time for a recap. First up? CrossFit!

You know how I’ve been indecisive with exercise?

That will probably be changing since I tried my first CrossFit class on Saturday morning! I’ve been toying with the idea of trying CrossFit for awhile now. It was writing that post and talking to some Twitter friends that pushed me to finally try a class.

Saturday morning, I woke up not really knowing what to expect. Luckily, Todd offered to go with me so I knew we would make the class fun regardless. We arrived to the gym on time and it was busy. The first thing I noticed was that the community was extremely friendly and welcoming – like that of a well established yoga studio. Within 30 seconds, our instructor warmly welcomed us with a handshake and asked if this was our first class. We filled out some paperwork and then had a seat on the floor with other participants. There were two girls next to us that were so nice and welcoming. I felt like I was already part of the community.

The class started with an explanation of what to expect (warm up + Workout of the Day + cool down). I can’t remember exactly what the warm up was, but it included some stretches, bicycle ab crunches, and squats. The Workout of the Day (WOD) was something like:

Five Times:

- Run 200 meters

- 15 medicine ball squats

- Run 200 meters

- 25 squats

It did not look terribly awful, but once I got to my third set, I was hurting because I’m so out of shape. I finished all 5 sets about 25 minutes with everyone around me varying in time, intensity, and what they accomplished. Todd, being the super-athletic-person he is finished first in 18 minutes. Yes, this was his first class but let’s just say that his profession helps with his fitness levels. Working out next to him was super motivating. For example, there was a point when I started the medicine ball squats (which I hated) right when Todd went out for his 200 meter run. My goal was to finish before he finished his run – mission accomplished. :-) Plus, once he finished he motivated me towards the end.

The workout accomplished what I wanted: I need an ass kicking. It’s Monday night and I’m still having trouble walking. That’s my definition of a job well done and with frequent practice, I suspect it would only get better.

Moving forward…

As I’m sure you know, CrossFit is expensive – a lot like yoga in that respect. Regardless, I think it’s a financial commitment I’m willing to to try. I can cancel my membership at any time if it doesn’t work out. So, starting this weekend, I am officially going to become a CrossFit member. I haven’t decided if I’ll do a monthly or 10-class card membership. One step at a time!

If you are interested in joining me on a Saturday, let me know. The first 3 Saturday classes are free and after that, they are only $5! Totally worth an ass kicking, in my opinion.

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Easter

On Saturday night (while my legs were still super wobbly from the workout that morning), Todd and I went to my mom’s house for Easter dinner. First thing on the agenda was an Easter egg hunt for 1… He found them all :-)

Jade watched nearby… so comfy.

Watch out! Violet is now standing.

<3

On Sunday, Todd’s mom invited us over for Easter dinner. It was so delicious and she even let me take home some leftovers :-) Yum. We had such a fun day.

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The winner of the Stella & Dot giveaway is Nadine! Congrats girlie! Brooke will be sending you the necklace soon (unless you already received it!). Congrats!

xo,

Julie

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