Tag Archives: New York City

New York City Studio Re-Cap

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The first studio stop on my recent trip to NYC was Row House NYC. I have wanted to try a rowing studio since the moment I first read about this new workout trend in one of my fitness magazines. Of course when I researched studios in the bay area there were none in San Francisco. Therefore I knew I would need to check it out on my next trip to New York.

This studio was about an mile walk from my hotel. Upon arriving I was greeted by a very friendly staff who showed me around the facility since I had gotten there a little early. I am going to be honest here. I was a little nervous prior to starting. Thinking about rowing for a whole hour just made me cringe. My initial thought was it would either be so monotonous that I would be bored out of my mind or it would be so hard that I would be hating every moment of it. Of course I decided to do it regardless of my apprehensions and luckily it ended up being neither.

The space was large and had quite a few rowing machines to support a large class. For this particular day though there was only a handful of client. I always find packed cardio type classes more fun as you feed off of one another, but the smaller class did make it better for more personal attention though. I grabbed a rower up front and got myself situated and ready to begin.

The class was broken down into alternating segments of rowing and floor training with weights for abs, arms, and legs. Each rowing set was 10-15 minutes, which after completing would be followed by a 10 minute strength training set on the floor. The rowing segments were broken out into speed, endurance, and then the final one which was just going all out. This last segment was by far my favorite one. At the very end of class when we started on the last song the instructor turned out the lights so we were in a pitch black room. Then they started to play this song that just gets the blood in your veins boiling and without you even knowing it you are going all out.

All in all I enjoyed this class, but I have to say I did not feel like it was the most challenging class I have ever done. It was not till the end I started to break a sweat. I cant say I would make this a weekly routine for me, but it is a great alternative for a cardio class and worth checking out.

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We all know about my love of Flywheel and Soul Cycle, well now there is  a new love on the block and its name is Peloton Cycle. I had been debating on trying this place. I had read the reviews and everyone had nothing but amazing things to say. However the safe side of me wanted to just do Flywheel all week. I already knew I loved it and with classpass I would be able to do 3 classes for free. Plus it can be exhausting to keep trying new places. In the end my adventurous side won and tried it out, boy was I glad I did!

The moment I walked into this studio I knew it was different then any of the other studios I had ever been to. When you walk into the door you immediately walk into an amazing fitness store with all of the latest and hippest clothes. It took all of my self control to not buy it all. I checked in and then walked around the corner to find myself in a little coffee shop. A barista was around the corner with couches for lounging and hanging out. I knew after class I was going to have to take a moment to relax and enjoy the space. How often do you want to stay somewhere after a hard workout?

I walked into the spinning room and started to get setup on my bike. The instructor walked in with more energy then I could ever imagine to have and she resembled Jem and the Holograms, which brought back my childhood love immediately. Her body and spirit were amazing, and I found myself quickly wanting to do anything she told me. If Flywheel and Soul Cycle had a baby it would be Peloton. It had the competitiveness that I love about Flywheel, but also the soul and heart pounding music that I love about Soul Cycle. The 45 minutes flew by in a sweaty, painful kind of way. By the end I had a giant smile on my face and knew I had found a new love.

One other really cool thing about this studio is they offer a subscription model for people remotely. The instructor has a TV on their bike and people at home can log in and spin along from the privacy of their own home. They also have bikes in the studio with TV’s for people who want to work out with an instructor at off class times. Just a very unique business model.

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The Monster Cycle + Studio was a little gem I found in Soho. Walking in you got an immediate vibe of metal, meets garage band, meets faux luxury. The upstairs was the lounge area, outfitted with a chandelier, couch, and cow hide rug. Tucked in the corner was a soon to open juice bar, but for today it was still under construction.

In the basement was the spinning room. Walking down the stairs and into the studio, I felt like I was going into some dark and forbidden place. Like one of those parties in high school with the older kids who lived life on the edge and you knew the moment you walked in your parents would not approve.

The class was pitch black with only the only light coming from the TV’s up front projecting the latest music video’s to the songs playing overhead. All of the music had a very distinct and dark feel to it, think Marilyn Manson. I have to say the TV’s were quite nice though when you needed a place to focus and tune out while hitting another steep climb. Nothing like Madonna’s latest video to motivate you to keep going.

By the end as with most spinning classes I was sweaty, beat, and ready to move upstairs and see the light. This place definitely has the dark and brooding theme down, a great switch up from the usual and perfect for a cold winter day.

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The last studio stop for me was BYKlyn a small spinning studio located in Brooklyn. After having spent all week in the high tech, top notch, studios in Manhattan it was a re-adjustment to come back to a little neighborhood spot. The studio was simple, nothing fancy to it. However the staff was all super friendly and you could tell from the moment you walked in that they were there because they loved it.

My instructor was super energetic and sweet, I ended up chatting with her for a little while after class. She did a great workout, even without all of the TV’s, dark lights, and loud music to guide her. I cant say this was my favorite spot of the week, however if this was my neighborhood spot in San Francisco I would be going there often.

New York City A Week Of Workouts

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When getting ready to travel out to New York City this year I was more excited then usual for my workouts because with my class pass membership I knew I would also be able to use it in the city. What does this mean? Well it meant I would get to try a ton of new studios for free! So then the question would be which ones to try?  My trip this go around was 7 days in the city, some days of pure work mixed with some days of vacation. On my workdays I had to stick to my hotel due to early morning meetings and lets be honest, freezing cold temperatures that were not welcoming to walk at 6:00 am. However once Wednesday came around and I was officially done with meetings the workout fun began! So what does a week of working out in NYC look like for me?

Sunday: 7 mile Treadmill Run at Ink 48 hotel Gym, NYC

Monday: 6 mile Treadmill Run at Ink 48 hotel Gym, NYC

Tuesday: 6 mile Treadmill Run at Ink 48 hotel Gym, NYC

Wednesday: 5 Mile Treadmill Run at at Ink 48 hotel Gym, NYC and 60 minute Rowing Class at Row House at W 59th St

Thursday: 45 minute Spin Class at Flywheel Sports followed by a 1 hour Fly Barre Class in the Flatiron District

Friday: 45 minute Spin Class at Peloton at W 23rd Street

Saturday: The Monster Cycle + Studio in Soho on Lafayette Street

Sunday: 5 mile Treadmill Run at the local YMCA in Bed-Sty, Brooklyn

Monday: 45 minute Spin Class at BRKlyn Cycle in Brooklyn

In general I ended up doing more cardio then I would usually, but in a city that has so many amazing spinning studios how could I not. One of my biggest issues with the San Francisco workout scene is our lack of innovative and unique studios, especially when it comes to cardio like spinning. As for the studios I tried I actually ended up really liking all of them, obviously some more then others. My top picks of the week though would be #1 Peloton, #2 Flywheel (as always), and #3 The Monster Cycle + Studio. I plan on going into detail on each place in my next post, so check back if you are looking for more details on the places!

Things I am Loving This Week-New York Edition

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My Valentines Day weekend was spent traveling out to New York City for a work trip. Nothing like packing a suitcase of bulky sweaters and a wool coat wearing flip flops. All in all my trip was 7 days, a mix of working and fun. The trip started with attending the New York Toy Fair and my first official night in the city was spent at a Women in Toys Event Dinner. The food was delicious, a full 4 course serving. Pair that with a great glass of wine, interesting people, and toys and you have yourself a fantastic nigh. Of course the table decorations were right up my alley.

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Sometimes you just need to take yourself on a date night. After a long day of work, being on my feet all day, and the freezing temperatures outside just made me crave a bowl of warm hearty soup. After a nice dinner alone I took myself to go see the musical If/Then with Idina Menzel. Yes the woman who sang the Frozen song we all know so well. It was about a mile walk from my hotel to the theater and it was invigorating to say the least. I love how with age a night by myself no longer feels lonely like it did when I was younger, instead it now feels empowering.

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After a morning rowing class and a run, I got bundled up and found a whole in the wall coffee shop cafe to settle in and work remotely for a while. The cafe was charming, cozy, and exactly the place you want to walk into after being out in the freezing cold. I ordered egg whites scrambled with a Mediterranean salad, toast, and a yogurt/cheese on the side. Since it was the early afternoon and it was my first meal of the day so I devoured it in entirety. Every bite was simply delicious.

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In my meandering the city I stumbled on this gem of a coffee shop. It had a bookstore in the back with the most beautiful flower arrangements. Book stores and coffee shops are by far two of my favorite places to spend time in the world. Combining them just made it that much more perfect.

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One thing I love about just walking the city is not knowing what you are going to find. This was a painting on the side of a building I came across that made me stop mid-step to take a picture. I loved the color, graphics, and ease of it.

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One of the nice things about freezing cold weather when you are walking everywhere is it makes you hop into random places for a few minutes in order to warm up. This was just one of the many moments like this in my time in the city. I found this little neighborhood market and fell in love instantly. What I love about shopping markets in new cities is seeing all of the different and local items they carry.

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After a hardcore spinning class I made my way to another little coffee shop for my morning breakfast. I brought some amazing yogurt I found at the market and nestled up with a new book. This to me is a perfect morning.

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In the course of my week in the city I ate at least 3 or 4 cheese plates. I don’t recall even eating that many full on meals while on my trip. Instead it was a week of snacking, drinking, and walking. This was just one of the many I enjoyed. Something about being in negative temperatures just makes you crave bread. Luckily since I still maintained my daily workouts and with all my miles upon miles of walking I was able to indulge in the evening without any worry, which was a real treat for me.

New York City, A Love Affair Explored by Foot

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When I think about moments in my life where I am the happiest, it is when I am moving, exploring, letting my inquisitiveness get the best of me. I have always loved the un-known, the hunt of what could be out there. When I was a kid I was obsessed with ghosts, Halloween, and scary stories. Could it all be real? I would read books upon books on anything that seemed remotely mysterious or scary. Sometimes they would be non-fiction like the sinking of the Titanic or ancient Egypt. Other times it would be just RL Stein’s Fear Street books. Reading became my outlet for curiosity. As I moved into my teenage and early college years I would fill this need with spending hours walking through flea markets, garage sales, and thrift stores trying to find a treasure, hidden or forgotten by others. Who owned it before, what was their story? Was the ship painting I had hanging on my living room wall someones wedding gift, was it bought while traveling, or simply someones hobby?  To this day reading and thrift stores are still  two of  my favorite past times, but I have now added in a new way to  quench my thirst for the new and that is the exploration of cities.

When I used to travel I would spend hours  in advance preparing everything I wanted to do on the trip. I had well thought out agenda’s and all of my time would be getting from one activity to the next. Now that my life is lived in a world where you go from one obligation to the next I have found living that way on a trip or vacation is not what I need. Now I want to just get lost in my surroundings. Find a hip coffee shop off the beaten path, the little corner market that stocks the most amazing gourmet cheeses, the wine bar with the inviting candle light from inside.

This last week I was in New York City for a work trip. I decided to take on a few extra days and work remotely from coffee shops while exploring the city. I have been to NYC over a dozen times, but as anything else it is ever evolving, changing, and constantly new. In just one week I managed to log 163k steps or about 82 miles. Now some of these steps were from running or spinning or the other workouts I enjoyed while there, but the majority of these steps were from just walking.

Now what did I encounter over these 163k steps? I found quaint coffee shops, an over abundance of clothing stores, new spinning, rowing, and barre studios, locals shoveling snow after a big storm, endless amounts of toys, the off smile from a stranger, conversations with friends and colleagues, admiration of fashion choices, but most importantly I found time with myself and my thoughts. As I sit here now typing this from my hotel room on my second back to back work trip I cant help but long for a walk through the cold. Alas, I am on my way back to my normal routine where walking will still be a big part of my day to day, but not like how it was this last week. I guess I will now find contentment in the week by sharing the moments captured from these walks. So stay tuned….

A Week In Photos In New York City

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A couple of weeks ago I went out to the East Coast for my typical work trip to Providence, Rhode Island. I usually make this trip a couple of times a year, but often it is coupled with other work trips so I never get to take extra time and make my way to New York City. This time the trip happened to coincide with my birthday so I decided I needed to tack on a few days at the end to go see two of my best ladies and celebrate in style.

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Now how is one to get from Providence to New York City? The first option that came to mind for me was flying. However after seeing a one way plane ticket would be over $200 I had to quickly re-consider. After some research I found I could take a train ride to the Big Apple for only $80, I was sold. So after spending a Monday-Wednesday in Providence I embarked on my journey Thursday morning.

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I started my morning with a nice 7 mile run before getting ready and heading over to the train station. The train ride was 3 hours and I loved the whole experience. Looking out the windows upon every little East Coast sea town was quite delightful. I fantasized about wearing a striped dress, drinking champagne, and eating lobster at some quaint little bed and breakfast. I also used the time to just enjoy some magazines and get caught up on life. Once arriving at Grand Central station I made my way to my girlfriends office to unload my luggage before walking a mile to the Chelsea Market.

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I love the Chelsea Market. It reminds me a lot of the Ferry Building in San Francisco. The market is all about food, drinks, and people. There are also various shops for local artists, which I appreciate. I wondered from shop to shop just exploring everything the building had to offer. I decided this would be a perfect place to stop and have a late lunch. Of course I could not make up my mind on what to order so I got a soba noodle salad and a couscous salad. Both were delicious!

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The evening consisted of drinking wine back at my girlfriend Lauren’s beautiful apartment in Bed-Stuy where we caught up on life. We then walked to a small neighborhood Italian restaurant for dinner. I don’t let myself indulge in pasta very often, but every time I come to New York it is a must. Nothing beats their Italian Food. We have nothing in San Francisco that even compares in my opinion. I ordered an eggplant bolognese and ate every last bite! After a long day of walking and a run I felt I deserved all the wine and pasta my body wanted. Although I did skip on the bread and olive oil, some regulation still needed to happen.

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Day two started with a journey over to my favorite workout place in NYC, Flywheel. The 45 minute intense spinning class was just what I needed after a night of good food and drinks. After the class  I found my obsession Whole Foods and got some yogurt and fruit before finding a quaint little coffee shop to sit and read at while enjoying my morning treat. Next I spent the day roaming around the city popping into little shops that caught my eye and of course I had to venture over to Soho for some shopping.

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Later that evening I met up with my girlfriend Katie at her new apartment in the East Village where we packed a picnic of cheese, bread, fruit, and veggies for a night dinner on her roof. The warm weather was perfect and sitting overlooking the city lights glistening with champagne in hand made for a fantastic start to the night.  Next was a night cap at a neighboring bar which was soon followed by bed.

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Day Three started with a 5 mile run along the water. Nothing beats an early, warm east coast morning. After getting ready and grabbing some amazing coffee I met back up with my girlfriend Lauren again for a day at the spa.  I was able to find us an amazing deal that included a 2 1/2 hour manicure, massage, and facial all for $130. I checked in on Yelp and was able to get 30% off bringing my grand total to $90! Did I mention they gave us free champagne?

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Next on the agenda was an afternoon at a wine bar in the East Village where Lauren and I enjoyed some Vino, salad, and cheese. All of my favorite things! The portions were huge so Lauren and I no matter how hard we tried were not able to polish off the plate. After our late and leisurely lunch we made our way back to Brooklyn and relaxed before getting ready for dinner. For my last night  Lauren and I went out to eat at an amazing Venezuelan restaurant in Brooklyn.

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The next morning I went on a 5 mile run around Lauren’s neighborhood before heading to the airport. All in all it was a great few days and I can’t say how nice it was to spend time with my girlfriends! New York City is always such a special place for me, but I have to say I am always glad when I get back to the city by the bay!

Apartment Decorating- New York City Love

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In my recent quest for a new home I have become obsessed with looking at small apartments and seeing how people utilize their space and decorate. The website Apartment Therapy has become a nightly indulgence. I look at beautiful pictures of homes in sprawling urban cities and I am just amazed by the  creativity and imagination out there. People can transform 500 square feet apartments into homes big enough to fit a family of 3.

 

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Two weeks ago I was in New York City visiting 2 of my closest girlfriends for a late birthday celebration. Over the years my girlfriends have lived in various apartments within Manhattan.  With each visit not only have I been lucky enough to explore new neighborhoods, but I have also been able to see the unique way that only New Yorker’s can live. Whether it was the East Village, Kips Bay, or Brooklyn each neighborhood and apartment offered something truly endearing and unique.

 

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After spending 8 years in Manhattan by girlfriend Lauren recently decided it was finally time for more space and made the big move over to the trendy side of New York, aka Brooklyn. She has found an amazing apartment in an up and coming neighborhood called Bedford Stuyvesant, aka Bed Stuy to the locals. The neighborhood still has a little ways to go, but new amazing restaurants are starting to slowly pop up and with the old brick stone houses lining the streets you can see why this area will become the next big thing.

 

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Lauren has truly amazing taste and I have always been in love with every one of her apartment’s. I guess when you are a designer decorating is something that just comes naturally to you. However I have to say her new apartment took my breath away the first time I saw it. Walking in and seeing the hard wood floors, white walls with crown molding, the updated kitchen, and all of the natural light it not only made her place feel cozy and inviting, but also stylish and intimate.

 

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I have to say out of everyone I have ever known, Lauren is by far and away my style soul mate. The pictures were all taken in her amazing place and I only hope that when I go to decorate my new home it will feel half as beautiful and trendy as hers. Hopefully I can bring a piece of New York style to San Francisco.

Things I am loving this week from Coast to Coast

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Walking down Polk Street and Finding cheese sampling. I could never live in a world without cheese, bread, and wine. Too bad it always has to be consumed in moderation, otherwise I would eat it every day

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Discovering flowers on a cold winter day in New York City

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The best truck ever! Also should I mention it had a Colorado License Plate

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Street Art walking in NYC. It reminds me of the mission street back in San Francisco

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Brunch, The Best Meal to Eat Out

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A Week of Fitness in New York City

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Traveling and exercise is not always easy. I travel quite a bit for work and in the beginning I used to get completely stressed out on how I was going to balance getting my usual sweat sessions in with the big time changes, early morning meetings, and just being in a new place where nothing is familiar. Through time I have learned you can make anything work as long as you make it a priority for yourself. I also try to look at it as a personal challenge as a way to get out and try something new that I may not do back home.  In the past I was the type of person who would get really intimidated by trying a new workout or going to a new gym by myself for the first time. However the more and more I did it the easier it become and now I find it fun and exciting. It is all about building your confidence.

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This past week I had the pleasure of going to New York City for work and I was able to tack on a few extra days to spend with friends, which then made it a partial vacation. Typically on business trips I stay in hotel that has a gym which makes keeping up with my routine pretty easy.  However this trip my team decided to stay in a more boutique hotel which did not have that option.  Prior to departing I started to get a little panicked because the weather was cold and snowy so running outside which is my typical go to work out when I find myself without a gym was not going to be an option. So I was going to have to brainstorm a plan.  I got online and started googleing and yelping my way through various gyms and studios in the Big Apple. I decided to take this as an opportunity to try some new workout studios I had wanted to try along with going back to some of my favorite NYC places. Below is a quick daily log of my various workouts throughout the week. I plan on giving more detailed re-caps on the studios and gyms in the upcoming days, so stay tuned!

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Sunday: 6 mile Treadmill Run at the local YMCA in Bed-Sty, Brooklyn.

Monday: 1 hour Mixed Level  Barre class at Physique 57 off  of 57th Street

Tuesday: 5 Mile Treadmill Run at the Rockefeller Equinox Gym

Wednesday: 7 Mile Treadmill Run at the Rockefeller Equinox Gym

Thursday: 45 minute Spin Class at Flywheel Sports in the Flatiron District followed by a 1 hour Intermediate Barre Class at Physique 57 off  of 57th Street

Friday: 45 minute Spin Class at Soul Cycle in the Soho District