Ink Block Boston Launch Party

By on

If you live in Boston and haven’t heard of Ink Block by now, you might be living under a rock. Ink Block Boston, the newest in Boston’s series of luxury apartment buildings and condos, celebrated its opening last week with an epic launch party that I was lucky enough to attend.

The evening soirée was held on the beautiful second story pool deck of the Ink Block Boston’s South End apartments. The Launch Party, hosted by Boston Common Magazine, Ketel One Vodka, KP Strategies, and The Event Society, was incredible. The pool deck was filled with Boston elite, from Dirty Water TV personality Sophia Goulet to Boston Bruins defenseman Dennis Seidenberg…as well as my blogger bestie Caitlin, myself, and my boyfriend – Boston’s newest transplant from LA.

Drinks were flowing with spring martinis from Ketel One, 90+ Cellars newest rosé (that company is everywhere!), and hard cider from Cider Creek. Lobster rolls and sliders from Stephi’s on Tremont and Blackbird Doughnuts kept attendees warm on the cool night. The illuminated pool and music from Opyn Mynd featuring YouTube violinist sensation and Boston-native Rhett Price set a great mood for mingling on deck long after the sun had set on the beautiful day.

ink block boston launch party

Photo Courtesy: Cait Plus Ate

The Ink Block Boston launch party was a fabulous evening full of friends, great music, television appearances, and drinks by the pool. If you’re in the neighborhood or looking for an awesome place to live, check out Ink Block Boston, and remember to invite me to your pool party.

Non-Running Workouts in Boston

By on

Next weekend is the Boston Marathon which is awesome if you’re a runner or like eating brunch while watching people run. Boston becomes overtaken by marathon craziness during the month of April, but Boston has a lot more to offer than just pounding the pavement.

So what’s there to do if running along the Charles sounds like torture? Here are some of my favorite non-running workouts in Boston.

FlyBarre

The great minds and bodies at FlyWheel Sports have recently brought FlyBarre classes to Boston’s FlyWheel studio in Back Bay’s Prudential Center.

I had the opportunity (hosted) to try out one of these high energy classes and it kicked my butt! FlyBarre classes are a blend of light weight training and core exercises wrapped together in relatively easy-to-follow dance moves that, coupled with the smile and enthusiasm of the instructors, makes the 45 or 60 minute class fly by. You’ll almost forget how hard you worked…until the ab soreness kicks in the next day!

flybarre boston back bay

Photo courtesy FlyWheel Sports

Back Bay Yoga

Yoga is my all time favorite exercise and Back Bay Yoga is my favorite studio in Boston. Aside from the fact that it’s close to my apartment, the awesome teachers like Renee LaBlanc and Caitlyn Graham Visconte will have you sweating your way to zen for an hour and a half. Yoga is my go-to for non-weight training workouts.

Back Bay yoga classes

Image credit Back Bay Yoga

Be Gritsy

If you want to get out of a studio, check out Be Gritsy. The movement teams up with Boston fitness instructors to create out of studio experiences around the city. With yoga, bootcamp, and some (ugh) running thrown in for good measure, Be Gritsy classes pop up all year throughout different locations in Boston.

be gritsy boston

Photo credit Be Gritsy

So if you’re looking for something to do other than running in circles pretending you’re Shalane Flanagan, check out these awesome non-running workouts in Boston.

March: In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb

By on

This winter in Boston has been bad. Actually, it’s been more than bad. It’s been horrible and terrible but, for the most part, somehow enjoyable. For me it was full of time with friends and family, visits from my boyfriend, success at work and sitting home alone on my couch on snow days reveling in all of my introverted glory. Mwahahahaha!

This past month though, my patience has been wearing thin. It is now the last day of March, it’s still cold, and today it is predicted to snow. I’m done. This month needs to end and this weather needs to stop before I Hulk-out and punch a snowflake.

Last week, I cracked. I’m tired – both physically and emotionally – and cranky. I’m still sleeping on my couch after my ceiling collapsed and ruined my bed. Insurance claims take ages and I’m too stubborn to buy a bed before knowing a check is on its way. Like my Blair Witch DIY Hurricane Sandy artwork?

couch bed

My body hurts from the couch. My wallet hurts from treating myself to fancy steakhouses while I was displaced. My brain hurts from dealing 23 year old insurance adjusters who don’t know how to do their jobs. I’m trying to be patient but it’s hard. I also desperately need some sun.

But, it’s Spring and tomorrow is April. I’m ready for a change.  Bring it on!

My new bed is coming this week. No more couch, no more whining, no more winter. They say March goes in like a lion and out like a lamb. So here’s to a new month, better things, and baby sheep. Baaa!

lamb in field

 

Edit: Apparently, I can’t even get my days straight. There’s still another day in March. Arrrgh!

spring style–boat shoes, camo, and stripes, oh my!

By on
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.  Happy Freaking Spring!  After the horrible winter this year, I’m welcoming the nicer weather.
This weekend is beautiful here in Boston and yesterday I felt inspired to make the most out of the nice day.  I made plans to meet up with a girlfriend for lunch and beers outside at my favorite spot, Parish Cafe.  I also decided that yesterday was the day to break in my new Sperry Top-Sider boat shoes that I finally bit the bullet on.  You can’t live in New England and not own boat shoes!  Never mind the fact that I’m not a boater…YET.  If you build it, they will come, right?  Get thee some boat shoes, become a boater. I see no flaw in this logic.  In fact I could probably write this purchase off on my taxes next year as self-entrepreneurial business development.
I also wore my three favorite things because they made me happy–ripped jeggings, stripes, and camouflage. I threw a leopard print scarf in my bag for good measure because nothing says pattern mixing like every pattern you’ve ever owned vomiting on your body.  I didn’t need to use it, which is probably good because that would have been overkill but I wouldn’t have cared because I was so damn happy about the weather!
For real though, to me it was the perfect outfit. Pieces that made me happy put on in layers. Ripped jeans, a light weight cotton shirt, and a jacket.  My feet get cold easily and although I saw plenty of people in sandals, my piggers would have froze and my Sperrys were the perfect shoe for a Spring day.
If I didn’t just blog about this I might have been tempted to wear this again today…but I won’t because that’s just weird. 

I’m Not a Marathon Runner

By on
Woohoo, it’s Spring! Which can only mean one thing in Boston–people are running!  Marathon aside, this city has more freaking runners than I’ve ever seen.  However, considering it’s two weeks before the Boston Marathon, there are even more runners, or people being inspired to run, all over the city.  Present company included.  Yesterday, I got my butt off the couch and decided to lace up my dusty sneakers and put one foot in front of the other.
It also hit a balmy 50 degrees so I broke out the one t-shirt that Lululemon makes that doesn’t show off any boob and headed out to pound the pavement.  However, since 50 degrees isn’t t-shirt weather and I’m as stubborn as a mule who didn’t want to go back inside and change, I was freezing…but took a selfie anyway to prove that I went running, damnit!

Look at me, so happy and freezing…rocking a camo hat like a badass in my snooty neighborhood!  But I ran, see?  Proof!

This resulted in my first run of the season feeling like death.  Cold, slow, feeling like I was going to pass out yet being lapped by everyone else out there tapering for the marathon.  I felt my lungs start to burn halfway through my 1 mile run.  With every step my legs scorned me, “fat ass…screw you…stop eating…gonna die…so tired…please walk…no really…just walk”.  I tasted blood from my hemorrhaging lungs and ran the fastest 12 minute mile I’ve ever run.  
It’s probably a good thing I’m not dramatic because then you wouldn’t believe that I spent the next hour coughing like I’m some anti-vaxing tree hugger with pertussis.  Strangely enough these were the same symptoms that plagued me when I sprinted 5 blocks two weeks ago and has led me to believe that Dr. Google is always right and that I either have exercised-induced asthma, cancer, or a fat ass.
So…happy Spring!  Happy running season! Happy almost Marathon weekend! If you’re looking for me, I’ll be in the yoga studio stretching the shin splints I undoubtedly gave myself.