Shady’s Back, Tell a Friend…

No really, tell a friend. Well since I have probably lost most of my 4 followers and probably have 2… (thanks for the loyalty Mom & Dad!!!) it will surely be a slow start back on the road to blogging. But though the road is long and potentially treacherous, I will prevail. And I never, ever exaggerate don’t forget…  So to recap, I got married, got a new job, planned the entire wedding by single-handedly, went on the most amazing honeymoon ever, and now I am swimming in free time. Swimming. Like front stroke, back stroke….you know. But it’s not like I swim, so don’t quote me on those strokes. So I figured I would loop you three in while I swim, or float, and enjoy my husband (!!!!!???) puppy and everything NYC has to offer, but mainly fitness and food. So to apologize for my absence to the three of you who cared, I offer some pictures of my wedding as a peace offering. And a link to my AMAZING photographer’s website where I was able to share the story of my wedding, from start to finish

Sara’s View (Anthony Vazquez Photography) 

All photos below courtesy of http://www.anthonyvazquez.com/

THE SHOES

More shoes. I love shoes.

We may or may not have danced in the middle of 6th avenue….Safety first as the light turned green…

First dance (Billy Joel, New York State of Mind). Clearly, I’m a very serious wife/dancer.

There’s no better party than your own wedding. As is evidence by this air guitar gem… (Photo credit NOT Anthony Vazquez, one of my epic friends.) I am only glad I have yet to see my wedding video where I rapped “This is How we do it”. Every Word. Solo. And I only had a couple glasses of champagne….

Best night of my life. And Boom. I’m married. And up in the air.

Honeymoon post to come. Think: Lions and tigers and South Africa, oh my!!

Preview:

Musing of the day: Why can’t my apartment have an infinity pool?

So lovelies what have YOU been up to lately??? Tell!!

XOXO

S

Hi! I’m back!! and Bridal Bootcamp…

Hi Lovelies!

Apologies for being so MIA, I think I underestimated getting  a new job, planning a wedding and generally trying to keep myself sane when it comes to blogging! But I missed writing and chatting with all of you, so I decided to try to dive back into it slowly, maybe a post a week or so to just keep myself on the up and up

So what has been going on you might ask? (Or maybe I will just tell you…)

Most news has been on the workout front. Since I refuse to not enjoy my favorite fabulous NYC restaurants, I decided I needed a plan to get super buff for the big day. Enter, Corefusion. For those who don’t know, I’m just going to link you to Dori’s post on Corefusion, since I have dubbed her my CF Guru. She knows all of the instructors, classes and innuendos, I run all of my class choices and scheduling by her. I’m sure this is thrilling to her to have a second job as my personal workout consultant, but I digress…

When I found out about Corefusion’s Bridal Bootcamp, I knew I had to just take a little peak under the hood of that well-oiled machine known as Exhale and see what was going on. I’m so glad I did.

CF Bridal Bootcamp’s 12 week tush kicking program includes:

12 weeks of unlimited CF and CF Yoga classes

4 facials

1 nutritional consultation

1 massage

1 hot body for your wedding (ok they don’t just GIVE that to you with the package, but I mean that’s the plan, right??)

Nutrition:

So on to the good stuff. I met with the lovely Melissa, one of Exhale’s Nutritional consultants in the second week of the program. While I am not necessarily looking to lose weight, I really want to be as toned as possible and ensure that everything that goes into my body is “fueling” my workouts and not wasted calories or food that won’t contribute to a successful and intense workout schedule. She advised me to stick to only whole and natural foods (yeah, yeah we all know this but it ain’t easy to do!) and steer clear of things like soy crisps, for example, which albeit delicious don’t offer much in terms of energy and fuel. She also advised me to lay off the vino (to my horror chagrin) a bit and try to operate more along the lines of moderation. Point taken.

Classes:

I love corefusion classes. I love the multiple locations, I love the variety, I love how the teachers seem to remember your face and know your name within one or two visits, I just really drink the KoolAid when it comes to Exhale’s programming. I have been frequenting the Meatpacking location which albeit not the nicest studio, works perfectly for me. The class size is always small there is the morning which I love (large, packed classes tend to stress me out at 7am…knowing that are that many people as crazy as me that early in the morning just rubs me the wrong way…?) and the workout is always intense. I have been doing Corefusion Cardio, Corefusion open and some Corefusion Yoga and I am hoping to get to some sport and bootcamp classes soon, my schedule has just been a little hectic and not conducive to taking these, but they are on my radar big time after getting some rave reviews from the guru. I also plan on thoroughly reviewing each type of class, so stay tuned for that as well!

So more to come on this adventure since my first FACIAL (squeal!!!) is scheduled for Sunday. Cannot wait to give a full review of the “True Facial” as I have never indulged in any of Exhale’s spa therapies. Cannot. Wait.

SO what have you all been up to? Have you ever taken a corefusion class? Tell all!!!
XOXO

s

DISCLOSURE NOTE: I have received a discount on my Corefusion Bridal Bootcamp package but I am still paying for it myself and all of the opinions in the posts are my own. 

What’s your oxygen mask?

I know, you’re probably thinking I’m sitting next to Charlie Sheen in the deep end. Ok, low blow, shouldn’t make fun…but really??? I feel so sorry for his family (absolutely honestly), but that guy’s quotes are just unbelievable. “I’m tired of pretending I’m not a b*tchin’ rockstar from Mars”. It must have been hard living a lie all these years that you weren’t a rockstar from Mars…?

He has goddesses. I can’t feel that bad for the guy….? And please, no hate mail (all four of you ) I do feel badly about the situation but hopefully he’ll clean up his act for the sake of his family. Ahhkay?

I digress and finally return to my point. While spinning this morning to delicious new Gaga tunes (i mean, who doesn’t want to put your paws up while spinning??) the fabulous Shaina (who teaches at most Equinox downtown locations, check her out!) said something that cracked me up and then made me really think.

She began by saying this was our time, and the rest of the day would be dedicated to work. I nodded and continued to sweathalftodeath spin.  Then, she started talking about how when you’re on an airplane, they tell you that in case of an emergency you should put your oxygen mask on before putting on the mask for someone else. I know. Right??? At this point, I thought Shaina was joining dear Charlie and looked over at Ashley for some reassurance. Luckily, Shaina had a very lucid and thought provoking point to make.

Spin class this morning was my oxygen  mask. I needed to do it for myself before the rest of my day was dedicated to work/family/friends/everything else. The truth is, working out is my oxygen mask every day. The time I dedicate to working out can’t be taken away by anything else (as long as I leave my blackberry in my locker….)

So, gorgeous-es, a quickie, but something to get you thinking. What is your oxygen mask? Althought mine is predominantly exercise? Sometimes mine is a nice bottle glass of vino & maybe some Sinatra.  Just sayin….

XOXO

S

ps) follow more of my rambling on twitter: @sarawinsor

Wedding Dresses that weren’t…

…and other wedding musings. Wedding planning is kind of like balancing on the thinnest tightrope you’ve ever seen in your life. A skillful balance of fiance, families (2 or more in many cases), friends and a myriad of other factors. Just when you think you have everything perfectly balanced, something gets thrown in the mix and you’re teetering on the edge. True story. Right now, i feel quite balanced. My checklist of “dones” includes:

• Groom – GOT HIM! After 4 years of dating, he felt bad for me and popped the question I KID I KID. But he’s the best and the reason for all the craycray planning…
• Venue (which includes food, we will have the tasting closer to the wedding) this I am keeping a ‘secret’ for privacy reason, but the venue is in lower Manhattan.
• Band recommended by JBo, many thanks, gorgeous!! (http://www.therhythmshop.com/)
• Photographer - (http://www.anthonyvazquez.com/) OBSESSED, you have to check out his work and let me know what you think!!
• Videographer (http://www.kissthebridefilms.com/)
• Florist (small, independent florist, please email me if you would like her information, she’s wonderful!)
• Dress – secretttt
• Bridesmaid Dresses (http://www.jlmcouture.com/Jim-Hjelm-Occasions)
• Hair – (http://www.latelierbymorganandpaul.com/) they have done my hair for 4 years, love them to pieces & bits.
• Bachelorette Destination & date!!- (http://www.neworleanscvb.com)

Sooo there’s still that honeymoon to book…hopefully i’ll have some exciting news in the next two weeks on this one…in the meantime, don’t forget to keep those suggesitons comin…

But now some fun stuff. So I live in NYC. The mecca of wedding dresses. I was lucky enough to have the fashion world at my finger tips when I went wedding dress shopping. So without further adieu, I present:

SAY NO TO THAT DRESS (note: I love all of these dresses in their own way, they are all gorgeous and fabulous. i just didn’t choose them, they weren’t “MY” dress. so please don’t misinterpret my intentions)

Kleinfelds-

I walked in with a tude. The place was too big for me. I was worried I would end up accidentally featured in the background of the show. The only reason I went was a friend had a consultant she highly reccomended who was very ‘un-Kleinfelds’ and they have one of the largest selections in the city. I had a BAD ATTITUDE about Kfelds. Unfortunately, despite going into the back room and looking through the dresses myself (which they let everyone do, don’t let the show fool you )  nothing here even came close to being what I was looking for. THAT SAID, my consultant, JJ was fantastic. I highly recommend her. And the selection is fabulous. You can’t beat their volume. Plus Joan was actually  very lovely when we came in she thought I wasn’t getting the consultant i was promised and came to talk to me personally and apologize. Turned out JJ was there, Joan was just busy and harried

(will add images, check back!)

Vera Wang-

Walking into her store, I thought I would find my dress here. No, I knew. I was positive based on the tons of images I had stalked seen on wedding blogs and in magazines that Vera’s dresses were my “style”. They were gorgeous….

Some were bigger

Some were plain(ish)

Some were almost the dress...

(I almost bought this dress, i went to see it three times)

Here is the dress feature on MY PHOTOGRAPHER’S BLOG! on one of his gorgeous brides.

http://anthonyvazquez.com/blog/

My photographer is one of the things I am MOST excited about in terms of my wedding! (obviously aside from MARRYING my ridiculously amazing fiance I am talking about vendors/fabulous aspects of the wedding that are unrelated to love, of course)

That dress was gorgeous, so beautiful on her, just not right for me. In the end I went with something slightly more classic. You’ll have to wait for September to find out I suppose?

Despite how amazing and fantastic weddings and their planning can be, they can also be quiet a delicate dance which is not always rainbows and roses. Can I get an amen?? So tell me, love-ahss, do you have any wedding planning advice/stories/gripes etc? From your own personal experience or that of others? Help a sistahh out

XOXO

s

http://www.anthonyvazquez.com/

Favorite thangz Friday

No, this is not a unique concept. Probably every blogger does it. But I find it to be highly amusing, and I LOVE hearing what people are loving right now (so please, fabulous commenters share YOURS!)

1. Candles. I have been rocking enjoying this candle from Anthropologie for a couple of years now and have never changed it up. I have one in my bedroom and one in the living room (errr I only really HAVE two rooms…) I love ‘signature scents’. Lighting it in the evening just makes me feel peaceful. For about 10 seconds before my mind is racing again that it….

2. My Seven Jeggings. I haven’t purchased a pair of Seven Jeans since college. I just found them not to fit me well and I didn’t love how popular they became. That all changed at the SCOOP sale where i scooped (punnyyy) up a pair for $50. They are so soft and stretchy and were vanity sized one size below what i normally wear. Who could resist? Needless to say, I virtually live in the these.

3. Vetri Restaurant in Philadelphia. Well, ok, I always love this. This is M’s favorite restaurant in the world (friendly reminder, we live in NYC). I have been once and he has been twice. The restaurant is located a little off the main beaten path of Philly and in a little townhouse. I just want to pinch its cute little cheeks:

The last time we went, we went a night early to my friend’s wedding in order to go. As in stayed in a hotel an extra night in order to go. True story. And we bought the cookbook. AND left it for Marc Vetri to sign AND went to pick it up the next day like total creepshow. AND closed down the restaurant so I coyly asked for (and received!!) a tour of their meat curing set up in their cellar and kitchen. AND now? We’re doing it again. KRose (of THE bachelorette this weekend) is getting married in Philly in late March and M’s bday is in late March. A perfect ‘marriage’ (might need to rename this “punny Friday”….) if you will. See you in philly, my little onion crepe <3

4.  Sumo Squats. Mainly (most likely) because I like thinking of myself as a giant sumo wrestler. But secondarily, these are DAMN hard and make me feel pretty bad ass. Plus, nabbing her stomach out of it wouldn’t be half bad…

Using a heavy barbell, this exercise always gets my abs, butt and arms. Gotta love those three-fers.

5.  Twitter. I used to not ‘get’ twitter. But now that a couple of my friends tweet and I follow Oprah I find it very amusing. Feel free to follow me and enjoy my random musings and rants.

Plus, when that little “@” mention sign comes up on your phone? I mean come on you feel cool. Especially when it’s a spammer telling you they have the perfect weight loss solution for you. Then you just feel fat even cooler.

 

So lovelee ladies (and gents!) what is something you’re favorite-ing this Friday???

OFF shortly to bachelorette KRose this weekend, recap post to follow Monday. Don’t miss me too much this weekend. That goes for all 5 of you…

xooxox

S

Workout Playlist

Inspired by the gorgeous & fabulous Melissa I decided this would be a fun post to do. I actually do not run with music when I run outdoors. I know, many of you just spit out your beverage on your computer….

Ok, that’s just a gratuitous ugly picture of me being weird at MKush’s bachelorette in VEGAS. We’ll get back to bachelorettes later on in this post, stay tuned   Here is me really, running the NYC Marathon sans tunes:

Back Story: About two years ago I was running a NYRR race (to help qualify for the NYC Marathon and as  training run for a half marathon I had coming up). I got to the start line of the race, moments before the gun and realized I had forgotten my iPod. For a 10 mile run. I had never run more than to grab a cab without listening to music. I immediately panicked, assuming I would never be able to finish the race. I started running, completely freaked out and pissed off at myself, and then all of sudden something happened. I was enjoying myself. I didn’t miss the music. I love the sights and sounds around me (this is not always the case, someone one hurled in a close proximity to me and this is a post for another time but i have an CLINICAL fear of vomit, like you have no idea…i digress…) I finished the 10 miles and never listened to my iPod again when I ran outside. HOWEVER, when I run on the treadmill I do sometimes like to imbibe me some tunes. And when I spin, I definitely choose my instructor based on their playlist just as much as their motivation or fun-ness. Yes, fun-ness is a word. My word. Anyhoo.

Lately here has what’s been getting me going (that sounded bad, but i’m leaving it anyway):

• Dynamite – Taio Cruz (i mean, who doesn’t want to throw their hands up in the air sometimes…)
• Only Girl in the World – Rhianna (true dat, sista)
• Firework – Katy Perry (baby you’re a)
• Like a G-6 - Far East Movement (I don’t know what a G-6 is but it seems bad as* and i kinda wanna be one)
• Bottoms Up – Treyz Songz (no, that is not the incorrect spelling. he singz songz)
• Tonight I’m Loving You – Enrique Iglesisas (i never thought i would see him on a playlist of mine after middle school….but i guess i still like to bailamos…)
• Yea 3x – Chris Brown (yeaaa)
• F’n Perfect - Pink (because who doesn’t like to be told they’re f-n perfect?)
• Hold it Against Me – Britney Spears (I know, I just lost my dignity and my street cred all at once…)

Wandering Around the Gym Cool Down:

• Marry Me – Train
• “F*** You” – Cee Lo (no, the song is not “forget you” and yes i like to bop around my gym to this. at home i run around the apartment risky business style *w/pants on usually* and slide around to this song. don’t ask)
• Grenade – Bruno Mars (i don’t know why, it’s just so romantic that he would catcha grenade forya, no?)
• Down on Me – Jermih (but all i can think about when i hear this is this youtube video someone sent me like three months ago. literally, this kid is amaze-la. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dwimc4cvUmQ )

 

Enough about me (wait, I guess a blog is a place to shamelessly talk all about yourself for pages and pages…so never mind, never enough about me in that case…  )

And for the FUNNEST news of the day, heading to Vermont tomorrow to celebrate FUNK’s (real name KRose until she marries her man in March) bachelorette! There will be drinking, massaging (by professionals, mind out of the gutter friends…) and general debauchery. I will beg her for some pictures and to allow me to post a recap to the crazyness that is sure to transpire.
So finally, loveleees….Tell me some of your current workout jams? And most AWESOMELY bad songs on your workout mix? AND tell me about your bachelorette and or one you’ve been too! Still time for great ideas before tomorrow…!

My Song Answer: I would say mine could be Mariah Carey’s “All I want for Christmas”. Let me clarify. This is one of the best songs in the ENTIRE WORLD (stand firmly behind that statement) just not appropos in July. But then again “hangin tough” might also fall into this category…i should stop before i lose all of my 5 readers…

i was MIA…i’ll make it up to you.

sooo…i’ve been MIA. i’m sure all four of you missed me. two people (ok fine, they’re longtime friends and my family, SO WHAT!?!?!) asked me to post. so here i am.

quick recap:

• I GOT A NEW JOB!!!! That is why I was MIA. Obviously for privacy reasons I won’t be disclosing where I am working but let’s just say I’m absolutely thrilled. It was a huge career move and I can’t wait to begin that journey on 3/7.
• That is the recap. You can, perhaps, imagine it was a lil’ crazy around here.

So some restaurant reviews are in the hopper…and I saw this floating around and thought it was pretty amusing…

A. Age: 27. Oldddie but a goodie

B. Bed size: queen. Need. A. king. Dog, 70lbs. Fiance 6’5. Me 5’9. Dammit, spoiled one of my amazing answers below with my height admission..forgive.

C. Chore you hate: taking out the garbage. Thanks, M!!

D. Dogs: mine is the cutest. But love ‘em all.

E. Essential start to your day: snooze button my phone multiple times. Those 5 minutes are precious.

F. Favorite color: black. It’s a color.

G. Gold or silver: eh, gold for costume jewelry, silver color (platinum for the other stuff )

H. Height: 5’9. 6 ft + in heels.

I. Instruments you play: violin. I was amazing.

J. Job title: as of 3/7/11….Junior Account Executive

K. Kids: as long as they’re not crying/yelling/biting and they’re yours, not mine, i dig.

L. Live: Manhattan. The island of.

M. Mom’s name: Joanieeee. Actually Joan. Hi, Ma!

N. Nicknames: sass, sassafrass, sa, rap, rapatap, rappy, many other variations of my first and last name.

O. Overnight hospital stays: can’t remember if i stayed overnight when I broke my arm? Ma??

P. Pet peeve: People who are mean. Fix your own life, stop being bitter Betty and leave me OUT of it. Also, people who complain and don’t do anything about said complaints. Hi, you have one life. Live it. Today.

Q. Quote from a movie: “QUICK! Which do you like better? Christmas or wedding season???” Name that movie!

R. Right or left handed: right. Golf lefty. Spesh.

S. Siblings: younger brother, Waymo. aka James.

T. Time you wake up: anywhere from 5:45am-ish to 8amish (I work 5 mins from work right now but that’s changing 3/7…)

U. Underwear: Shout out to IPratt for convincing me my drawer should be filled with Hanky Pankies. You’re a friend, but not to my bank account.

V. Vegetables you dislike: none. True story. Bring ‘em on. Ok, this picture is creepy, no?:

W. What makes you run late: nothing. I’m aggressively early.

X. X-Rays you’ve had: many.

Y. Yummy food you make: everything, obviously. Ok not really. But I did make epic latkes at Hanukkah. Mazel to me.

Z. Zoo- favorite animal: baby white tigers. Want. One. Now. and ps you’re welcome for this picture:

So, lovelies, what have YOU been up to?? But more importantly, what is YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE QUOTE???