Social Workout

Travel

Laughing Lotus Road Trips to the Big Easy

• Who: Laughing Lotus Co-Director Dana Flynn and instructors Sean, Gwendolyn, and Alison join forces with Wild Lotus Yoga of New Orleans.
• What: A weekend of Kirtan, chanting, singing, and yoga. The chanting and rhythm sessions outweigh the yoga sessions, so if Kirtan's your thing, this weekend's for you. Housing isn't provided, but they'll hook you up with a local yogis if you're amenable to couch surfing. Otherwise, you're on your own.  
• Where: New Orleans. Classes held at Wild Lotus Yoga, in Audobon Park, and elsewhere out and about.
• When: Easter Weekend, Friday, April 2 - Sunday April 4, 2010. 
• Why: If you haven't made it back to Nola since Katrina, this is an affordable, healthy, and karmically promising way to make the visit. Dana, the Co-Director of Laughing Lotus, is a force, and music is an anti-depressant. At least one white dude playing the sitar guaranteed. 
• How Much: $108
• Link: Big Soak Nola.

Travel

Sayulita Mexico Surf Camp

• Who: 20-something would-be surfer types. All Star Adventures runs "instructional trips" in snowboarding, skate boarding, surfing, skiing, and mountain biking. 
• What: Week long surf camp in a Mexican beach village. Gentle warm water surf breaks ideal for beginners and beginner/intermediates minutes from your doorstep. Daily surf lessons. When you're all surfed out, snorkeling, sea kayaking, and mountain biking.
• Where: Sayulita, Mexico on the Pacific coast. Ground transportation provided from Puerta Vallarta Airport.
• When: January 7 - 13, 2010 (with additional trips in February and March). 
• Why:  Yes, you could fly to a remote break, rent a board, and sleep on the beach with your thermos; but you might be miserable and never catch a wave. Before you go deep into surf culture, you might try a package deal. All Star limits these camps to just eight people, so plenty of personal attention from true surf-fanatic instructors. Also, all of the company's trips are focused around some sort of X-Games type activity, so their crowd skews cool, and more male than some yoga centric surf retreats. Just sayin.
• How Much: $1999. Breakfasts and accommodations included. Ground transport and all activity and excursion costs also covered.
• Link: Sayulita Mexico Surf Camp

Travel

REI Zion New Year's Adventure

• Who: REI, the gear people. They've been running adventure travel trips for more than 20 years. The guides are pros, they go everywhere, and it's a big company, so you won't be stuck in the woods with randos who aren't accountable to someone you can sue if you have to.
• What: Hiking and snowshoeing in Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks by day, home-cooked meals and hanging with your new hiker friends in a nearby lodge by night.  
• Where: Southern Utah. Fly into Vegas. REI drives you the four hours to the park from there.
• When: December 29 - January 3, 2010 (that's six full days).
• Why: Infinitely cooler than ringing in 2010 at some overpriced bar. Zion and Bryce Canyon are geological wonderlands. Snow on red rock is stunning.  
• How Much: $1,799 (airfare not included, but covers everything else).
• Link: New Year's Hiking Adventure 

Workout

Travel Hooping

I went out of town this weekend, and I felt so glad that I had bought myself a travel hoop a few weeks ago. Whenever I got the chance I went off to hoop. I am still improving my shoulder hooping. It was great to be able to stay on track with my hooping.

Workout

Nice Hotel Gym at Sheraton Centre Toronto

We stayed at the Sheraton Centre in downtown Toronto--it was kind of cool because the Real Madrid players were apparently staying there at the same time! Not that we saw any of them, of course, but it's still something fun to tell people about our trip.

Workout

Sheets on the Floor: Secrets of Hotel Room Yoga

Had to go out of town for a family wedding this weekend, so I couldn't make it to any of my usual dance or yoga classes at Equinox or BDC.

Workout

yoga burpees

well, heck if the time change involved in my trip to Europe didn't allow me to get 2 workouts in in one day (albeit one pretty small one and a more regular/inspiring one later in the day). I did what I call "yoga burpees" -- a junior version of the strenuous prison workout exercises. Basically just a sun salutation but more of a pushup than up-dog.

Workout

Copenhagen walking II

Saturday my friend and I got out early and stayed out late, traversing the city from southern free-anarchist Christiania in the morning to the northern hipster/industrial Norreport in the early evening and way out through the bars and window-shopping of Vesterboro in the late late night.

Workout

Copenhagen and the workouts of transatlantic tourists

I copped out on running while in Copenhagen-- still had a cold and with jet lag, I couldn't drag myself out any earlier than necessary. But I walked and walked and walked, especially friday and saturday, so I'm going to give myself cred for that.

Workout

may 21 - walking and sprinting in salt lake

before my plane home, got in another walk, about 3.5 miles or so. salt lake was very boring to walk around! i was carrying my bag stuffed with conference materials, too, which weighted about 20 pounds. (literally.)