New York

New York city, the Big Apple, the Concrete Jungle, the Land of Opportunity.....OH, how I love this State!

I recently spent one week in NY and from the minute I landed the charm and street music captured my heart. At my core I am and will always be a Southern Orange County, CA girl. But this city suits me too. God willing I arrived when the clouds decided to pass and the sun began to shine. The crisp 55 degree weather combined with the shinning sun was the perfect combination and created a sense of home in my core.

As a genetically bred foodie, I knew my week would be full of new tastes and wonderful discoveries. I am amazed by all of the non chain restaurants, that not only are successful but each have their own delicious charm. If you are not a fellow foodie like I, dont turn away just yet, this post is also health informative!

I stayed in Manhattan, so the restaurants I am sharing are in that general area. Though the week was filled with eating there was one that was show stopping!

BAREBURGER! While Yelping local restaurants I stumbled upon a great review of this place at the beginning of the week, it sounded great wonderful but due to my health coinscious ways I steered away from the red meat. Finally my work week ended I was in dyer need of a manicure. I chatted with the manicurist about the nearby good eats and what does she bring up....... Bareburger. The carnivore in me said you must go!!

I was cheerfully greeted by an adorable, warm, fashion forward hostess. This girl made me feel like I was a guest joining her in her own home for lunch, staying true to their signature slogan of “our home is....your home”, the amazing service continued. The waitress warmly greeted me and filled me in on the background of BareBurger. BareBurgers ingredients are 100% organic, free range, hormone and antibiotic free and grass fed. They offer several delectable meats, ground beef, turkey, chicken, veggie patty (dairy and nut free), portobello mushroom, lamb, wild boar, elk, bison and ostrich. There are 5 different bun options and 14 thoughtfully crafted toppings.

Being one that is always looking to try new foods I knew that I would go for the out of ordinary meat. But which one.... The waitress informed me that ostrich is the healthiest and has the most flavor. Really a bird with his head in the ground is the best.......but I jumped on board. In the mood for a little spice I made my ostrich into a jalapeno express which includes, pepperjack, romain lettuce, tomato, raw red onion (opted for apple smoked onions), jalapeno relish, horseradish mayo (had mine on the side), and chipotle ketchup, all on a Tapioca rice bun (gluten free).

There were no words to describe this burger. The ostrich was FULL of flavor! It did not feel fatty and was dense in consistency. The Jalapeno express was the perfect choice, not too spicy but just enough kick to make my nose run. Though Im not a fan of mayo, I did slabbed it on a few bites then BAM a whole new taste arose, bringing out the sweetness of the relish and potency to the ketchup. There were several side options and shakes that sounded delish, however this visit I was happy with just the burger.

Sadly the only BareBurgers as of now are located in NY. But whether your vacationing in the big city or simply stopping by on business I urge you to go. You will not find another place like BareBurger!

Why ostrich meat is a cut above the rest:

Bon Apetite!

Anti-Gravity Yoga

For the last 5 years I have been exploring the world of Yoga. From Bikram to Ashtanga and my favorite has always been Power or Vinyasa Flow preferably in a heated room.

Until today....

Today I had my first experience with Anti-Gravity yoga. This yoga takes place in a hammock that hangs from the ceiling like a soft trapeze. The hammock provides a feeling of weightlessness while at the same time support while moving from one pose to another.

I entered the class overjoyed! Finally the moment came to live out my Cirque du Soleil fantasy!! I always wanted to be that graceful women twirling down the hanging fabric..........(sigh) Sad to say there was no twirling, however the experience was out of this world.

I began laying in the hammock stretched out, simply swinging. This first pose sold me! The room was filled with other people but because I was unable to see them, it felt timeless. I forgot I was there to work out. The swinging motion while suspended in air literally took me into a trance.

After a few minutes of breathing and swinging I moved into the next pose by placing the fabric underneath my hips. HELLO!! The shift in gravity was the benefit. This was heaven for me, I am naturally tight in my lower back and hips and this position released the tension deeper than I could ever do while seated on the floor.

There were a few more poses after that, including a snake-like motion, legs in diamond and legs over head, again all great hip openers.

The class finally ended with the “Superman”. Yes, SUPERMAN, belly down, arms and legs extended out while swinging back and forth. It was AHH MAZING! I felt like a 5 year old! But the bonus, this pose is a wonderful upper body opener. Each of these poses reached and released the small areas that were previously unavailable to me in a floor yoga class.

I recommend, no I BEG you to thake oneof these classes. It doesnt matter if you are a yogi, a gym rat, runner, curling enthusiast or your most vigorous work out is the rapid thumb dance of texting. No athletic ability required. Just bring your willingness to relax, let go and be a 5 year old for an hour.

Namaste!