What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Jordan

Well, these words have certainly been this past year’s anthem. During the early days of recovery this line was chanted day after day by my boyfriend as he smiled with every step I would take on my crutches. And I would sing these words to sleep as I dreamt of the sun rising, one morning closer to a full recovery.

Well almost one year later and I am walking, spinning and now running. And even though the rest of this post will show you just how strong I am, there is still that little voice of the past that chimes in and makes me sad.

I wont harp on it too long, but with the clearance to run also comes the disappointment that I am not returning to the runner I was up to the moment the accident happened. Running was taken away from me and now I have to start over. It is amazing that I can run again, and I appreciate that ability every moment, but it comes with the pain that I have to work to find my freedom and comfort again.

I know that this this feeling of mourning the past will slowly slip away as I build a new relationship with running, starting with reconnecting from the beginning. This weekend I took a Chi Running workshop to learn how to use my body as efficiently as possible to sustain the least amount of impact. If you are in the Bay Area and want a great teacher take a class from Sally!

Look at me go!

I even took everything I learned and put it to use Monday night:

I was able to use posture and foot placement to run myself down to my good old friend the running path and capture that beautiful neighbor of mine, the Golden Gate Bridge, in the setting sun.

This is where my strength has gotten me and I know I can only continue to rebuild and grow from this point. I just have to make sure that my strength drowns out that mournful voice of the past as I continue to place my feet on the ground faster and faster.

Out for a Walk

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Jordan

I took the long way home this weekend and walked all throughout this beautiful city…

Then I took a walk to my gym…

Then a walk around my neighborhood…

and I ended my weekend with a walk to my kitchen…

Banana Ice Cream!!!

Blend one frozen banana, with a tablespoon of your favorite nut butter and a splash of almond milk.

WIAW – restaurant style

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Jordan

I have had a few visitors over the past couple of weeks and while I love cooking for guests, I certainly prefer to dine out at fun and delicious San Francisco joints. So if you ever find yourself in the bay area (especially in my neighborhood by the water) you wont be disappointed by these few favorites below:

Pacific Catch

With only a few seats, taking out is a great way to enjoy your fill of fresh fish and scrumptious sides. My favorite are the sweet potato fries, they are as sweet as candy but you feel slightly better eating them knowing that it’s a vegetable.

Fish

If you find yourself in Marin meandering around the shops in Sausalito, make your way to Fish on the water. With a great view, outdoor seating and plenty of daily catch to meet your fancy, this lunch spot is not to be missed. The fish is so good that their most popular crowd pleaser is fish over a bed of salad. The fish speaks for itself.

Ace Wasabi

Sushi. I could live on Japanese food for the rest of my life and be happy (and probably have mercury poisoning). Ace has a friendly atmosphere. It’s a neighborhood sushi joint, if one is lucky enough to have a neighborhood sushi joint.

Blue Barn

Local, farm fresh, seasonal food all dressed up in delectable salad combinations. Plus the take out box is adorable!

Tacolicious

The name says it all. It’s unfortunate that their salsa is so delicious and they refuse to sell it by the jar. I vow every time to remember tupperware to take home my leftovers….

Please let me know when you try these places and feel free to invite me along if you’re here

Traveling

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Jordan

While this little one was not thrilled to reside at the vets for over a week,

I at least got to shack up in these digs on my latest business trip working at the NYC Toy Fair:

No, I did not run away to a far away land, nor did I forget how to type. I was simply working 14 hour days at a trade show and did not have time to wash my face before bed let alone share my long days with all of you!

Traveling for work for over a week is exhausting! You are constantly on point, you cannot escape your coworkers and you don’t even get to eat at regular times (and those meals you do eat are far from nutritious).

For example, these muffin tops were lunch one day.

And this trip involved lots of heavy lifting – those are just a few of the boxes…

In addition to all day workouts of manual labor moving cardboard, I craved some cardio and tried to fit in a few mornings on the stationary bike in the hotel gym, along with some strength training exercises ripped from magazines.

Let’s just say I was thrilled to land yesterday back home with no tape gun, box or toy in sight! And my return was made even sweeter with a very special guest waiting for me at the gate:

There just happened to be a Valentine’s Day wine tour in my neighborhood that evening and what better way to reunite best buddies than over some sips of fermented grapes?

And finally, we enjoyed a healthy balanced meal (my first one in over a week!) together.

I am overjoyed to be back home and swing into my routine again. So stay tuned for more posts and updates as I detox from work overload and continue on my healthy living path.

Taking Advantage

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Jordan

Living in the Bay Area is something special. I have said it a lot: Here and Here and Here. But where can you enjoy the whirring liveliness of the city and then drive less than an hour and be surrounded by the serene beauty of nature.

With some out-of-towners in toe, we spent the day in Napa Valley enjoying the view, the tastes of aged grape juice and some laughs.

Who wouldn’t want to end the day with some glasses of bubbly!?

Another thing that I have learned to appreciate and take more advantage of are the exercise classes offered at my YMCA. I have been trying to do as many spin classes as I can get to during the week, and this weekend I went to a spin class on Saturday and Sunday. Without long runs in my mix of workouts I find that I need to really be guided to get a good workout in and what better way to build up that cardio then with shouting instructors and spinning pedals?

After an hour in the saddle I leave knowing that I have worked hard, burned some calories and strengthened my muscles. It’s also a great way to practice my posture and use my core to control my body and leg movements.

Unfortunately I will be traveling for work soon and I will not have access to a spin bike, let alone a spin class, but to maintain my exercise routines I will be taking advantage of the wonders of the internet and printing out some at-home workouts.

It always pays off to take a moment and look around at the resources that you have right at your finger tips.

What will you take advantage of today?

Staycation

Posted on January 27, 2013 by Jordan

It would be lovely to dip my toes in the warm lapping waters of the Caribbean right now, but unfortunately I do not have the money or the time to escape on that kind of weekend adventure. I can, however, explore the Bay Area and all it has to offer with the wonder and awe of a tourist.

I have lived in San Francisco for 2 and half years now and the people, scenery and atmosphere never gets old. This weekend my parents came to visit and we traversed the city and surrounding towns with the wide eyes of foreigners. There are always new places to explore and beauties to stumble upon including,

delicious food

stores with a view

and scenic lookouts

If you are in need of an escape just look to your backyard and turn over one stone you have never noticed before. I’m sure there is a neighborhood you have not visited, a building you never realized was of historic importance or even a patch of land you have never taken the time to appreciate. So go out and enjoy your Sunday discovering all the adventures right in front of you!

Things that make me smile

Posted on January 13, 2013 by Jordan

Trying to pull out of a parking spot with a “not-so-cute” red car pinned behind me does NOT make me smile.

But being physically able to walk all over the city for 3 hours certainly makes me smile

Trying to reconnect my DVD player with possibly the wrong wires, leaves me with a frown. (and no, I have not figured out how to make it work yet.)

But making a delicious meal of veggies, shrimp, taco seasoning, avocado and brown rice turns my frown upside down

And living very far away from some of my most favorite people in this world makes me sad, but planning trips and scheduling dates to see these people puts the biggest smile on my face
What makes you smile?

Starting the year off right

Posted on January 1, 2013 by Jordan

I hope everyone enjoyed their New Year’s festivities!

I celebrated with a night of drinks and dancing

It was a perfect way to spend the evening, moving on the dance floor with both my good hip and my no-longer-broken one.

The first day of 2013 was spent resting my tired legs, enjoying the fresh January San Francisco air, relishing in good cuddles

and enjoying a new twist on my old favorite, carrot soup.

Dave added ginger to my soup recipe and created a new vibrant and heart warming masterpiece.

2012

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Jordan

365 days ago I started this blog.

It was supposed to chronicle my journey as a runner and my healthy (and not so healthy) habits. And while running was a major part of this daily publication for many months, running took a major back seat to many other life events that happened this year.

Some of the wonderful highlights include,

Vacationing in Anguilla with the family

Frangipani day 1

Finding a love for PIlates

IMAG0321

Starting a new job

IMAG0458

Exploring the Bay Area

DSCN1045

Welcoming a cat into our family

silly kitty

Swimming in the bay

And of course with the good comes the not as good including,

A life changing accident

dressing me

A long distance relationship

A loss in the family

This year has been a tough one, full of unexpected changes and numerous challenges. With each turn my weaknesses have been exposed, but more importantly, my true strength has found its way to the surface. 2012 will be a year I never forget for the good and the bad, and I am excited and energized for the year to come.

I am determined to get in the best athletic shape that I can in order to start running again by the summer, I will continue to grow my career, my friends and family will see me more often and I will take on new challenges with a new found confidence.

I wish everyone success, happiness and health in 2013!

Happy New Year!

On top of the world

Posted on December 30, 2012 by Jordan

at the Top of the Mark.

If you live here, are passing through, or if you are on vacation in San Francisco, you must stop at the historic 19th floor of the Mark Hopkins.

The views are incredible and will simply make you smile at the beauty of the city.

And the drinks will put a smile on your face for another reason – they are delicious.

I recommend the Organic Spring Breeze!

Happy Almost New Year!

Almond Jay

I don't cry over spilled milk – almond milk is a whole other story

Category Archives: San Francisco