Posts tagged ‘crossfit’

December 21, 2009

Must-Read Blog for Crossfitters

I know a lot of you out there AREN’T Crossfitters, and I know this is my gazillionth post today–two strikes, but I’m still in the ballgame, because IF you Crossfit, you MUST read Sage Burgener’s (yep, as in Burgener-Warm-Up’s daughter) new blog.

For those of you who read my tweets and were wondering what "Split-Jerking" was a few weeks back, this is it.

Only five entries in, this gem of a blog is hysterical and oh-so-true. Her Overhead Squat Rap made me literally go out and do some OHS-ing. I wish this girl was my friend. Even if you don’t Crossfit, if you’re at all interested in Olympic Lifting (and you should be, because there’s no quicker way to lean out than to throw heavy weight around with great form), this blog is a MUST READ.

http://sageolylifting.blogspot.com/

November 11, 2009

A Note on Eating … plus FREE Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

Kids, I’ve gone Paleo. You’ll see upcoming posts on things not Paleo (looking at you, Dulce Vida delicious tequila), like the following notice in this same post, but as of the beginning of this week, I’ve undertaken a 30-day Strict Paleo Challenge with 4 of my fellow CrossFitters. Curious? What’s a Paleo? Already thought I was nuts because of this CrossFit thing? Find out more at the new The Label Says Paleo blog.

Holiday Open House – FREE 12oz holiday drink

Thursday Nov 12th, 4pm-8pm

Participating The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf stores – S Lamar is confirmed, not sure about N Lamar

Snag a free 12oz Peppermint Latte or Ice Blended® drink, Pumpkin latte or Ice Blended® drink (let me tell you how delicious THOSE are), or Winter Dream Tea® Latte only. No substitutions. None of these are Paleo. Limit one complementary drink per customer.

November 3, 2009

Free Mid-Week CrossFit Workout!

I know, I know, I’m always posting about free CrossFit workouts (hello, they happen at least once a month), but this one is special because it’s on a Wednesday at 9:30am. Totally random–or targeting those of us who refuse to get out of bed for 8:30am Saturday workouts–but totally awesome. Get to work early and cut out for a quick “doctor’s appointment” (more like “avoid the doctor appointment” because you’re taking care of your health and wellness by working on your fitness) under the Mopac bridge at Town Lake.


If nothing else, let me assure you that the Relentless coaches are all relentlessly hot, so there’ll be motivation…

9:30AM @ Town Lake Under the Bridge on the Hike & Bike Trail (Map)
www.crossfitcentralrelentless.com

PS – whether you worked out or not, stop by any Amy’s Ice Cream today from 2-6pm for a free scoop! Happy 25th birthday, Amy’s!

October 29, 2009

My silly baking: paleo pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

I really enjoy baking. I also really enjoy eating Paleo (no processed food, no grains, no dairy, no sugar), and the two are not very compatible. So I constantly quest to bake as Paleo-ish as possible. I have more failures (well, what’s a failure, really? I’ll eat it, but I wouldn’t feed it to friends) than successes, but recently I had a big warm, wintery success in Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies. Of course, I bake in a manner utterly incomprehensible to REAL cooks, because I sometimes guesstimate or don’t level out my flours or whatever. And it still works out okay most of the time. But I digress.

I modified a recipe from one of my absolute favorite blogs in the whole wide web, Cookie Madness. How on earth does Anna stay so slim baking so often? I have no idea. Anyway, behold the original and my mods:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (+ Hazelnut!)

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 large egg
1 scant cup granulated sugar (I used turbinado … debatable whether it’s actually better for you or not, but might as well give it a shot)
6 tablespoons vegetable oil Coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanillaI just didn’t have any, so I didn’t use it
1 teaspoon cinnamon
I also added 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, which gave it some of its winter flavor
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
2 cups all purpose flour or white whole wheat flour (9 oz) I used 1 cup hazelnut flour, approx. 2/3 cup coconut flour, 1/3 garbanzo/chickpea flour (not paleo bc it’s a legume)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (vegan, malt-sweetened choc chips, Central Market bulk section are my fave)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Beat pumpkin, egg, sugar, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and baking powder together in a mixing bowl. Make sure all the leavenings are dissolved (no lumps). Add the flour and stir just until it is mixed in, then stir in the chocolate chips.

Using a very generously rounded tablespoon measure, drop onto parchment lined cookie sheets spacing about 2 inches apart (cookies shouldn’t spread much). Bake at 375º for 13 to 15 minutes.

Remove from tray and let cool.

Makes about 18 cookies

Note: I also made these without the chocolate chips, and they were equally as good. Closer to pumpkin loaf then, but still very, very tasty.

Things I have learned about trying to substitute Paleo ingredients:

  • Coconut flour is great, but really, really dry. You can only use it for about 1/2 of the flour in a recipe.
  • Coconut flour and oil both lend recipes a very coconut-y taste. Not in a bad way. Not even if you don’t like coconut (I don’t).
  • Garbanzo flour is the easiest 1:1 sub for white flour. But it’s not really paleo. But it is much better for you than white or wheat flour.
  • Almond meal would definitely work in this recipe in place of or alongside the hazelnut meal. But almond meal has a different flavor than hazelnut, so the whole flavor would definitely change.
  • Sugar is the hardest thing to substitute. The best is dates pureed with applesauce. I haven’t personally tried that yet, but like using barley malt or brown rice syrup (neither paleo), you then have to also deal with liquidity issues. If I could find palm sugar again, I’d use it. But in the end, I usually splurge here.
  • Many people look for Paleo Recipes. I don’t–I look for good recipes that I think I can substitute in. Play around with it … the worst that happens is you get something inedible! The best? You create a whole new recipe!

There seems to be some interest–at least on twitter–in these baking experiments, so I’ll try to keep you posted!

September 25, 2009

Perfect Weekend: Fighting,Terror, Dancing, and Football

As usual, fall weekends are jam-packed. Four things I’m most excited about:

1) Mansion of Terror

My fave haunted house from last season because it’s sort of scary but has funny twists (Danger: Hellaphant) is opening up this weekend! The Mansion of Terror is currently rated #1 in the country by Lionsgate Films and was selected as a Top 8 Haunted House in the US by The Travel Channel.

When visitors enter the Mansion of Terror, they choose either Death Asylum: Zombie Carnage or Blood Frenzy II: Reign of Blood. Death Asylum features a truly twisted take on an insane asylum that is overrun with patients who have turned into Zombies. Complete with claustrophobic passageways, mazes, padded rooms, and larger-than-life undead creatures. Visitors have to solve a puzzle to make their way through.

Blood Frenzy II: Reign of Blood is set in the decaying farmhouse of Austin’s own serial killer, Jon Eric Springwood, who has killed over 99 Central Texas men and women over the last 15 years. Visitors must endure his final victim’s painful last moments. Prepare to be baptized in blood (it washes out and they offer raincoats).

They’re also socially responsible, hosting 8 “Non-Profit Nights” where a percentage of the proceeds will be donated to local nonprofits. Schedule of Non-Profit Nights:
September 25th – Best Friends Animal Society
October 1st – Lights. Camera. Help.
October 2nd – Capital Area Food Bank  
October 9th – Goodwill Industries
October 10th – Blood and Tissue Center of Central Texas
October 16th – Carinos Foundation 
October 23rd – Planet Cancer
November 13th – SCARE for a CURE

$20 for both Haunted Houses. There is also a $2 off coupon available all local Birds Barbershops, Alamo Drafthouses, Goodwill and Halloween Express locations. www.mansionofterror.com

2) Fight Gone Bad

Another CrossFit competition I’m doing … this is a fundraiser too (you can still donate to me! um, I’ve only raised $20… thanks Wes!) for The Prostate Cancer Foundation and The Wounded Warrior Project. Jeremy Thiel & Lisa Bender are featured on a News 8 interview on Fight Gone Bad – watch it here.

What to expect @ Fight Gone Bad IV:
Awesome workout
Performances by Reagan High School Drum line
Live DJ
Giveaways & Raffle Prizes from local Austin businnesses
Kid’s Play area sponsored by 1379
Post Fight Gone Bad Celebration Saturday Night @ Molotov (Appetizers, Drink Specials, & a Live DJ *This is a kid-friendly event, more info here)

The event kicks off @ 8:00am @ The Long Center on the Terrace facing Auditorium Shores, 701 W. Riverside Dr (Map)

3) Dallas NiteClub is Open again!

The venerable dance hall on Burnet Road was shut down earlier this year thanks to owning the title for most DUIs leaving an establishment, a record it set by over 150%–quite a feat in college-bar-filled Austin. Nonetheless, they’re back with the cheapest drinks for miles (see aforementioned title) and free dance lessons from 6-7 on Fridays and 7-8 on Saturdays. Only open Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. http://danceatdallas.com/

4) UT v UTEP

Same tailgate info as last time. Or just walk around, people are friendly.  I’m actually going to the game this time–yay!

September 11, 2009

Work it Out Weekend

I’ll be doing the CrossFit Women’s Challenge (and winning it) Saturday morning, and may recover by hitting Empower Yoga for some free yoga to stretch out my soreness. Come Sunday, I can dance away the day for free!

Of course, there are tons of awesome shows this weekend too, but I’ll let Austin Eavesdropper tell you about those: Music and Parties This Week (there’s also Band of Heathens & Drew Smith at Antone’s for just $15 at the door).

Saturday:

  • CrossFit Women’s Challenge – Trail Race & Workout … winner gets a full outfit by lululemon. We’re gonna win!!

(Side note: in 2 weeks, I will be participating in another CrossFit workout challenge called Fight Gone Bad, part of a national CrossFit workout. This one is gonna be outside on the Long Center veranda Sept 26th and will be AWESOME to see. You do max reps of 5 different exercises for a minute each, rest a minute, and go again, for three rounds. My last score was a 298. I’ve just gotta get over 300. Oh, and raise $150 for prostate cancer research and wounded warrior veterans’ funds. Donations, anyone? https://www.rapidreghost.com/fgb/php/frpage.php?frID=28618 )

FREE yoga classes all day at the new studio on West Fifth, just off Mopac, next to Mean Eyed Cat. Vinyasa (regular-ish) from 9:30-11am and noon-1pm; Anusara Yoga (a unique blend of hatha yoga that combines bio-mechanical principles of alignment with a celebration of the heart … emphasizes backbends, arm balances, standing poses, forward bends & twists in creative sequences to help students deepen their practice) from 4:30-6pm.

Party in the evening from 7-10pm with a DJ, rolls from Sushi Zushi (review here), raw food from Beets Cafe (I still want to try! Review here), wine, and prizes!

  • Sanctuary Printshop Grand Opening Party – 8pm-2am (4201 South Congress Ste. 317)

JohnnyCash_invite800
The screenprinter will have tons of free stuff: Open Bar (Dripping Springs Vodka, Sweet Leaf Tea, Red Bull) + Food (Wahoo’s) + T-Shirts + Posters + Cards + first 100 get St. Johnny Cash Candles … and DJ Battle Royale to see who can mix the best Johnny Cash/Hip Hop set

Sunday

  • Free Day of Dance at Ballet Austin from 2-6pm (501 West Third Street at San Antonio Street)
SCHEDULE OF CLASSES AND DEMONSTRATIONS:
2:00 – 3:00 pm: Hula, Broadway Jazz, Creative Movement, Kids in Motion, Ballet Fit Basic, Vinyasa Flow Yoga, Pilates Studio Tour
3:00 – 4:00 pm: Theatre Dance, Ballet Fit, Pre-Ballet, Kids Hip Hop, Teen/Adult Beginning Ballet, Pilates Mat, Pilates Studio Tour
4:00 – 5:00 pm: Teen/Adult Ballet, West Coast Jazz, Creative Movement, Broadway Fit, Arms & Abs, Pilates Studio Tour
5:00 – 6:00: Teen/Adult Hip Hop, Contemporary/Modern, Pre-Ballet, Street Jazz, Tap, Pilates Mat, Pilates Studio Tour

Get your dance on! Two years ago, when the studio first opened, over 2,500 people showed up to dance! WOW!

A cool group of female dancers from India will perform classic and conventional forms of Srishti Creation dance at the Waldorf Performing Arts Center in support of a unique non profit organization dedicated to bringing socio-economic change in India mainly using the medium of education.

srishti_poster

More info about the event: http://www.ashanet.org/austin/Srishti/

More info about the dancers: http://srishtithecreation.com/

Purchase tickets in advance: http://www.ashanet.org/austin/Srishti/tickets.html

The schools in India/projects that the Show of Hope will help support: http://www.ashanet.org/austin/Srishti/projects.html

Asha for Education – Austin chapter: http://www.ashanet.org/austin/

And a reward for anyone who made it to the end of the post: the first person to send me a video of them dancing to post on the site gets two free tickets! Oh, no one wants to do that? Fine, the first person to email me their most embarassing story involving dance (for publication on the blog) gets the tix. Don’t want to do that either? Email me SOMETHING funny, dammit!

August 28, 2009

The Weekend Usual: Free CrossFit & Sugar Mama’s

You know, the Free CrossFit Workout Central holds Under the Bridge at Town Lake once a month on Saturday morning at 8:30am. Details here.

And you also know how much I love Sugar Mama’s cupcakes, so you might call me obsessing over how delicious they are “usual” too, but it’s UNusual for them to be throwing a birthday party with FREE cupcakes, booze, and other fun:

Sugar Mama'sFortunately, the universe is in synergy as one can first CrossFit to work off the cupcakes she/he will then be consuming later in the afternoon.

Also note that this is Wicked’s last weekend at Bass Concert Hall, so try your hand at the WICKED LOTTERY, where a limited number of $25 orchestra seats are set aside for each performance and 21⁄2 hours prior to each performance, names will be collected for a lottery, then 2 hours prior to each performance, names will be drawn. Winners get up to 2 tickets and must be present (with valid photo ID) when their names are called or they forfeit their tickets. Worth a shot!

July 31, 2009

I love Saturdays: CrossFit before Cupcakes, with a side of (512) Beer

Saturdays in Austin are sometimes lazy recovery days, and sometimes jam-packed adventure days. OK, who am I kidding, they’re always adventurous, sometimes I just choose to laze about instead of partaking. But this Saturday I won’t be missing out on any of these awesome events:

9-11:30am: The Movement @ RunTex on Lake Austin Blvd

The Movement is a CrossFit block party celebration post-workout … free UTB (and bring the kiddos, there’ll be a free CrossFit Kids workout too!) from 8-9am, then partay with breakfast tacos from Taco Deli and CrossFit stuff like:

- The NEW Movement Video (Movement from CrossFit Central on Vimeo)
- Fight Gone Bad Demonstration
- Unveiling of the CrossFit Women’s Challenge
- New program information including CrossFit Endurance & CrossFit Kids
- Giveaways & Discounts

Head home for a shower before splitting your time between Beer and Cupcakes… if only everyone’s lives included decisions so difficult.

2-5pm: 1st Anniversary Celebration at (512) Brewery

The beer will be flowing at the baby brewery, which boasts such amazing beers as the (512) Pecan Porter. I cannot wait to taste the 1st Anniversary Ale, (512) ONE, a Belgian-Style Strong Ale with organic base grains, Forbidden Fruit yeast, domestic hops and local Good Flow wildflower honey. Mmmmm. (Homer?)
(512) Brewing, 407 Radam, F200, 78745 (Between South 1st & South Congress, one block south of Ben White)

4-7pm: Cupcake Smackdown at One-2-One Bar

Cupcake Smackdown

Austin’s first Cupcake Smackdown includes a blind tasting contest of all the store front bakeries, an amateur baking contest, a cupcake silent auction, the people’s popular vote, and a cupcake eating contest for both dogs and humans! Live music will be performed by Arielle Nicole.

For the blind tasting, a panel of local chefs and foodies will be chowing down on vanilla, chocolate, and a baker’s choice cupcake from each of the eight store front shops. Each cupcake will be judged on the flavor, texture, and aroma.

Other activities include a bake off in which amateur bakers can enter either the vanilla, chocolate, or freestyle cupcake competition. There will be two categories for the cupcake eating contest: one for human participants and one for canine participants. Canines will be eating pupcakes for speed (not quantity). Ginger carrot pupcakes provided by Grand Dog Bakery. Spectators will also be invited to vote for the People’s Choice award for any of the store front bakeries, vote for the cutest cupcake at the Smackdown, and also participate in a cupcake silent auction. Proceeds to go to Wine and Food Foundation of Texas.

The event is kid and dog friendly. Pre-entries for the cupcake eating contest are being accepted and will be accepted until the day of the event pending space. Each entry for the eating contests costs $10. Entry forms for the eating contests are available at All-In-One Bakeshop on 183. Please bring water and a spray bottle to keep your dog cool. It will be hot. Admission to the event is free. Please tip your bartender.

Email Jennie@misohungrynow.com to participate, enter yourself or your dog, enter your cupcakes, or to sponsor the event.

Schedule:

4:00 – 6:30 – Live Music, People’s Popular Vote, Cutest Cupcake Vote, Silent Auction

4:00 – 5:00 – 1st round blind tasting of cupcake entries

5:30 – 6:00 – Final round of blind cupcake tasting

6:00 – 6:30 – Canine eating cupcake contest – pupcakes provided by Grand Dog Bakery

6:30 – 7:00 – Human eating cupcake contest – cupcakes provided by All-In-One Bakeshop

Sponsors include: Rise and Shine Bakery, Sugar Mama’s, Polka Dots Bakery, Mad Cakes, Luxe Sweets, L’s Cupcakes, The Cupcake Bar, Hill Country Bakery, Wicked Cakes, Danger Cakes, Cupprimo, Grand Dog Bakery, Austin Urban Gardens, All in One Bakeshop, Growing Concerns on KUT, Do512, NosetoTailatHome.com, Bella Cupcake Couture

July 24, 2009

Saturday: A Time for CrossFitting, Pub Running, and Watching

Athletes and spectators, lace up your sneakers or warm up your clapping (drinking?) hands: this Saturday has events for the whole spectrum.

10-11:30am: Free CrossFit Austin workout at Town Lake. Meet at the dog park by S First street bridge between 10 and 10:30am for a workout that starts at 10:30.
This will be an instructor-led one hour CrossFit session. The perfect opportunity for those curious about CrossFit to finally try it out, the beginner to build on their skills, or the Fire-breather to destroy another WOD.

Bodacious Bar Run6:30-11:45pm: CrossFit Austin Bodacious ’80s Bar Run. Facebook invite here.

The Essentials:

1. We will start and end the PubRun @ Auditorium Shores
2. 80s Gear is greatly encouraged, and obnoxious amounts of sweat bands required.
3. Bring your running shoes and drinking hats!
4. Route:
Start: Under South 1st bridge (where we host the free WOD in the park)
Bars: GingerMan
Cedar Door
Tap Six
Key Bar
Tiniest Bar In TX
Finish: Barton Creek Saloon

An excuse to be out downtown in 80s athletic clothes? Yes please. I’m there.

If bar running isn’t your style and you love Lance, grab a friend to hang out at Jack and Adam’s Bicycles for the deciding Stage 20 of the Tour de France. Watch the final ascent of “The Bald Mountain” on a 10 foot screen while enjoying free food from J&A’s and beer courtesy of Twin Liquors. News 8′s Ricky Doyle and Veronica Castelo will give away prizes like an 80GB Video iPod, Toshiba portable DVD player and more. There will also be prizes from Team Slipstream / Garmin / Felt. Find out more at News8Austin.com or just show up (with a chair or blanket) at 7pm. If you plan on attending, please RSVP total attending to newsletter@jackandadams.com

July 23, 2009

Thursday Night Extravaganza

As usual, Thursday is hopping. But this Thursday we can all get our drink and food on, then head to lululemon (click for more info) before 9pm to dance-yoga our indulgences away with glowsticks.

Before your rave day, check out:
Christmas in July at Soigne Boutique, 6-8pm
Mr. Clause will make an appearance a little early while shoppers enjoy a 20 percent discount on all items in the store. Holiday music will mix with master mixologist Jimmy Joe Zumwalt of Cover 3 restaurant’s fantastic holiday-themed cocktails. For more on Cover 3, click here.

Eco Series at the Lance Armstrong Foundation Headquarters, 6-8pm
The new Lance Armstrong Foundation headquarters (2201 East 6th Street) has been designated as one of Austin’s first gold-certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design [LEED] facilities. Tour the facility and check in on a panel discussion about how the transformation happened with Greg Lee, CFO, Bob Harris, partner, Lake | Flato Architects, and Ryan Jones, lead architect, Lake | Flato. Roland Galang [urbanspace] and Amanda Ogden [E3 Properties], founders of the Eco Series, hope theses events will become a platform for affecting change towards a sustainable lifestyle. The event is sponsored by Urban Space, Emblem Creative, Meridian Solar, Adelo Mortgage, Cielo Water, and Bossa Nova.

Beat the Heat Cocktail Party at Rae Cosmetics, 6:30-8:30pm
Drinks and appetizers by Hosteria Verde, the chance to win over $400 in door prizes, complimentary makeup applications and touch ups, and live music by El John Selector from Thievery Corporation. Plus, preview Limbo Jewelry’s new line. Benefits Girl Start.

CrossFit Games Celebration at CrossFit Central, 7pm-?
You’re probably only interested in this if you’re part of the CF community, but nonetheless there’s a little par-tay up at the gym starting at 7pm. They’re providing a nacho bar, you BYOB. I’ll be toting Nalgene margaritas (yep, there still 3 in my freezer), so that should make for a good time.

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