YouTube Yoga

Last night, Terry and I stayed out late with Jenn, Justin, and some of Jenn's friends from work. First, Jenn, Justin, Terry and I ventured to Father's Office for their famous burgers (for any Top Chef fans, we saw Angelo--I don't know who that is, but apparently it was a very exciting moment). We also shared the sweet potato fries, which were phenomenal. No photos because I took the night off and just enjoyed the moment!

After dinner, Justin suggested a nearby speakeasy-style bar, located in The Culver Hotel. We ended up loving this place! It was definitely popular, but we found seats easily, right next to the fireplace. They also have a big patio, which looked awesome. There's a ton of history behind the hotel, too, and live music to boot. I ordered The Mediterranean, which was so incredible that I actually did take a picture.

And it was served in a mason jar! I've never had a drink served hipster-style, but it was fun and I liked it and want to buy my own. But not with a handle. Anyway, the drink had basil, lemon cachaca (a type of rum), strawberries, grapes, and sugar. Similar to a mojito, but the grapes and strawberries (fresh, muddled) added a hint of sweetness. It was so refreshing and something we're definitely going to try to recreate at home.

Jenn and me in front of the fireplace

We spent the rest of the evening at Jenn's friend's new apartment, playing games and getting to know a few other folks. It was very fun, but we didn't make it home until after midnight. Yeah, that's late for me! I packed up some food for Terry to take on his dive today and then called it a night.

Today was very mellow for me; I woke up to Scout playing in some boxes (pretty normal around here), cleaned the kitchen until it shined, and baked some cookies: oatmeal raisin chocolate chip with walnuts and peanut butter. I just found the recipes online. Usually, when I want to make something (banana bread, cookies, etc.), I just Google the thing I want to make and then check out the recipes. My criteria are:

• Minimal sugar (1 cup or less for at least 2 dozen cookies--but ideally, no sugar at all!)
• Real ingredients--no margarine, for example
• All the ingredients are currently in my cupboard
• Won't take more than an hour or so to bake

Before lunch today, I hit up my computer to find a 30-minute yoga video. Today is a rest day, so my usual videos would be far too challenging and wouldn't get me ready for our long run tomorrow (9 miles!!!). I found and completed this video by Sadie, which was perfect. If you're looking for some yoga action in your living room, I highly recommend hitting up YouTube.

1. In YouTube, search for a specific time and type of yoga (today, for example, I searched for "30 minute yoga stretch").  You can search by level, too: "30 minute yoga stretch beginner."
2. Open up one that looks relevant.
3. Before you jump in, do a quick bit of research to see if the video is for you. Read a few of the comments, listen to the video's intro (usually the instructor will describe the flow), and--my favorite--hold your mouse over the time bar at the bottom of the video. It shows previews of the video and will show the different poses you'll do.
4. Set up your mat and enjoy!

Also, for those who were excited about my Olympic trail mix the other day, I have some good news. A recent study found that almonds have fewer calories than originally thought! Check it out here. Then go make yourself a batch of trail mix!

That's it for now! We're planning a fairly mellow day tomorrow, too--well, aside from those 9 miles I mentioned.