RR…Rooftop Relaxation!!

I do not remember if I had told you before, but I am a fitness lover, I love doing exercise and looking for new things to do in the places I visit, so expect some fitness posts in the blog, hope you like them!! Summer is ending, but I’m still trying to soak up the last few weeks by doing outdoor activities, let me tell you one of my favorites this year. I’m not a yoga fan but after this amazing yoga session I had in NYC, I think I will give it a second try. It was truly one of the most extraordinary things I have ever experienced.

Some yoga instructors and social communities organize outdoor yoga sessions during the summer in certain hotspots of the city, most of them are free and some of them charge something to help the community. This one was $20, and believe me if I had known about it sooner I would have paid all summer. This sessions are organized by Serene Social “a wellness and lifestyle community that creates and curates unparalleled content and experiences exclusively for women,” in order to expand their community and offer a way for women to meet new people and do some networking. The sessions are held in the rooftop of the James Hotel in SOHO, only Wednesdays and Saturdays in the mornings, and on Saturdays you can stay and have brunch in the terrace after the session ends. The place is great, the hotel is beautiful, and the rooftop offers an excellent and breathtaking view of the south of the city including the “Freedom Tower” (One World Trade Center).

The session starts with a 5 minutes meditation, which is really good since you can have the opportunity to start your morning with your mind clear. Afterwards, the teacher starts with the yoga posses, it doesn’t matter if you are a beginner, she really takes the time and patience to explain every movement and correct you if you’re doing something wrong. She ends the session by making you think about how great your day can be as you are laying face up soaking all the sun and its energy. Do not worry about your yoga mat, they’ll provide it for you and they’ll give you some water as well. It is really amazing to be doing something so relaxing with the sun rising in the beautiful view that this spot offers, I really do not have the words to explain how it felt, you have to do it on your own. If you are in NYC during the summer, have one of this yoga classes, I truly recommend it. Thank you Serene Social for this spectacular experience!! Have an awesome day everyone, thanks for reading; and never forget: keep it local!!!

No recuerdo si les comenté que soy adicta a todo tipo de ejercicio, me encanta hacer ejercicio, y siempre que voy a un lugar trato de hacer algo y buscar cosas nuevas de las cuales les estaré platicando en el blog. El verano está terminando, pero aún estoy tratando de aprovechar al máximo las últimas semanas haciendo actividades al aire libre, les voy a contar sobre una de mis favoritas. No soy fan de la yoga, pero después de esta extraordinaria sesión de yoga que tuve en Nueva York, le daré una segunda oportunidad. Realmente fue una de las mejores experiencias de mi vida.

Algunos instructores de yoga y comunidades sociales, organizan sesiones de yoga durante el verano en ciertos lugares importantes de la ciudad, muchas de estas son gratis y otras cobran algo significativo para ayudar a la comunidad. Ésta en específico, me costó $20 USD y créanme, si hubiera sabido de ella antes, hubiera pagado todo el verano. Las sesiones son organizadas por Serene Social, una comunidad de bienestar y de vida, que crea inigualables experiencias exclusivamente para mujeres, con el motivo de que puedan conocer gente nueva y relacionarse en medios de trabajo o sociales. Las sesiones son llevadas a cabo en el rooftop del hotel James en SOHO, todos los miércoles y los sábados (del verano) por las mañanas; los sábados pueden quedarse a desayunar después de que termine la sesión. El lugar es estupendo, el hotel es hermoso, y el rooftop ofrece una vista excelente del sur de la ciudad, incluyendo la “Freedom Tower” (conocida como One World Trade Center, o la zona cero).

La sesión comienza con 5 minutos de meditación, lo cual es muy bueno por que pueden comenzar su día con la mente en blanco y olvidarse un poco de sus problemas. Después de esto, la maestra empieza con las posiciones de yoga, lo mejor es que no importa si son principiantes, ella se toma el tiempo y la paciencia para explicarles cada movimiento y corregirles si están haciendo algo mal. La sesión termina con una meditación pequeña en donde les hace pensar lo maravilloso que puede ser su día si se lo proponen, y hace que se acuesten boca arriba tomando el sol y su energía. No se preocupen por llevar su yoga mat, ahí mismo les prestan uno y además les ofrecen agua. Realmente es asombroso hacer algo tan relajante y al mismo tiempo ver cómo el sol sale de la maravillosa vista que ofrece este lugar, no tengo palabras para explicar lo que se siente, es algo que tienen que hacer por su cuenta. Así que si están en Nueva York durante el verano, tomen una de estas clases de yoga, lo recomiendo de verdad. Muchas gracias a Serene Social por esta grandiosa experiencia!! Que tengan un excelente día y muchas gracias por leer!! No se olviden: keep it local!!!

 

 

 

Tourist trap!!…

I know I know, Times Square, not local AT ALL!!! I think is the most visited place in the city,   everyone likes an iconic picture where they can obviously presume they’re in NYC.

This time we were not there for the picture, but hey, since we were there, why not!! We actually saw the rock of ages musical, totally recommended by the way, it’s funny, entertaining and way better than the movie. Anyway, since it’s Friday, it is also time for Feeling Friday, and walking around Times Square that day, made me realize: are we always looking for the rush in our lives? Are we afraid of staying still? At least I know I am. Talking to one of my dearest friends the other day, made us realize that we don’t want to be part of a routine, we want each of our days to be different, to be spectacular, to be something other rather than normal. The thing is, we are not in a movie where amazing things happen everyday, we are living lives that actually become better with each experience or worst when we least expect it. We have to embrace (that’s the word she used, which made perfect sense) our age, our commitment to life and be brave enough to grow up and expect the best from that normal life some of us ran away from. What happens to me is that I feel that everyday could be our last and we have to seize it in every possible way, I’m scared of not doing the things that make me happy, I’m scared that being normal will not make me happy, so it made me think, is being normal not living at the fullest? When we decide to embrace that we are growing up will we become happier, will we stop expecting something more than ordinary? What do you think? And the most important question is, how are you Feeling this Friday??? Thank you for reading.

Lo se lo se, Times Square, para NADA un lugar local!! Creo que es de los lugares más visitados en la ciudad, todo mundo quiere su foto en este emblemático lugar donde obviamente puedes presumir que estas en Nueva York.

Esta vez no fuimos por la foto, pero como ya estábamos ahí, dijimos que más da!! De hecho fuimos a ver el musical de Rock of Ages, totalmente recomendable por cierto, la obra es muy divertida, entretenida y mucho mejor que la película. Y ya que es viernes, también es tiempo de Feeling Friday; y ese día, caminando por Times Square, me hizo pensar: estaremos siempre buscando esa adrenalina en nuestras vidas? Tenemos miedo de quedarnos quietos? Miedo a sentir paz y tranquilidad? Yo sé que si lo tengo. El otro día, hablando con una de mis mejore amigas, nos hizo pensar que no queremos ser parte de una rutina, queremos que cada día de nuestras vidas sea diferente, espectacular, y muy distinto a lo normal. El problema es que, no vivimos en una película donde a los personajes les suceden cosas maravillosas todos los días, vivimos en una realidad donde cada experiencia puede mejorar nuestras vidas, o cosas malas pueden suceder en un instante y voltearnos de cabeza. Tenemos que aprender a aceptar nuestra edad, nuestro compromiso con la vida (dicho en otras palabras, tomar el toro por los cuernos) y ser suficientemente valientes para crecer y esperar lo mejor de esta vida normal de la que muchos de nosotros huimos. Lo que a mi me pasa es que siento que cada día que pasa, puede ser el último y que tenemos que aprovecharlo en todos los sentidos, me da miedo no poder hacer las cosas que me hacen feliz, me da miedo que ser “normal” no sea mi felicidad, lo cual me puso a pensar: ser normal es no vivir al máximo? Cuando aceptemos que estamos creciendo, seremos más felices? Dejaremos de esperar algo más de lo ordinario? Qué opinas? Y sobretodo, como te sientes este viernes??? Gracias por leer!!!

Oh … so Boom Boom Room…

It’s wednesday!! Middle of the week, I hope it is going as smooth as possible for everyone; so you are either making plans for the weekend or still recovering for the past one. I am in between, still tired but, with the energy to make plans for the one to come. This last weekend I spent all Saturday out in NYC, and I think that the places I visited are worth mentioning.

After our Saturday workout, Daniel and I went for brunch to a place called Gramercy Terrace, a rooftop in the Gramercy Park Hotel. Since it’s still summer, I wanted a place outdoors and better if they come with a view!!. This terrace had it all, I know it’s a hotel, not so local at all, but a lot of New Yorkers go to hotels looking for good food and hot spots in the city. The Gramercy Terrace is beautiful, quiet, peaceful, and all the plants around it make you feel like you are in a greenhouse far away (it is as they say: “a garden oasis”), except for the fact that here you will be eating great food and looking at the Empire State at the same time. It’s like being in two places at once. The menu is short, but it covers all; the fruit is amazing and so out of the ordinary, it has egg dishes for breakfast, and some lunch-y items as well. I ordered the swordfish sandwich, and as crazy as it sounds, it was perfect!!! Swordfish is delicious but sometimes it can be a little dry, however, this sandwich was moist, perfectly seasoned, and fresh all at the same time. It is a must try if you visit this terrace. While you’re there, I also recommend checking out the lobby and the other restaurant downstairs, the hotel has a wacky and electric vibe worth catching.

After brunch, and strolling around soho for some fun shopping, we decided to go to my favorite zone in NYC: Meatpacking. I love everything about it, specially on a saturday night!!

We tried this new restaurant called Manon, a modern american restaurant, offering three floors of amazing architecture and hit music to dance your food away. The restaurant is really good, I loved its exposed brick walls and the details in the ceiling, it feels as if you were in an ancient house with contemporary details. This place is not quiet at all, the music feels as if you were in a lounge bar. The cocktails were really good and refreshing, and the food is spectacular. We ordered a lobster roll as an appetizer, it was small but really soft and yummy, and as an entree we had the grilled whole fish. I normally order fish and sometimes I get tired of the flavor but this was the best grilled fish I’ve ever had. It was deboned from the center, and marinated in a cilantro vinaigrette, which made it tender, buttery, and flavorful, and the salad, was the perfect combination for this dish. It was composed of jicama, cilantro, cucumber, fennel and mint; which mixed together create a different and unexpected types of flavors, you have all in one bite. If you decide to try this place, which I truly recommend, let them know you want to have dinner on the third floor, it’s the best one, and later come downstairs for another drink before heading out to rock the night.

Lastly, we took our chances, and head out to the Boom Boom Room. Many of you may have heard of it, a social elite private club, which according to New Yorkers, hosts the best parties in the city. The BBR is the rooftop of the Standard Hotel, which during the day allows visitors to enjoy great views of the Hudson river and NYC, however, at 9:00 pm it turns into a private and exclusive bar which doors become “impenetrable.” This night: we got in!!! I think it depends on the doorman and her mood (yes, he is a she, a woman has the power), but it felt great to be accepted; the thing is that it is no different from what you see during the day. You get the same mood but more exclusive, and the drinks are really expensive.  On the bright side, once you’re in there you have access to a rooftop outdoors, and to its neighbor nightclub: The Bain. Therefore, you have several options to spend your night and have a blast. I really recommend giving it a try, you never know, maybe she is in the mood to become a local for a night!!

Theater for all!!

Hello everyone!! I hope you had an amazing Monday!!

I’m still in NYC, there’s so much I can tell you about this extraordinary city that I wouldn’t know where to begin but, since I started Feeling Fridays with Central Park, I’ll continue to tell you more about it.

This is something I did in the summer and I really recommend, it is a one in a lifetime experience: Shakespeare in the Park. Every summer in the Delacorte Theater, an open theater in the middle of the park, artists come together to present memorable productions of Shakespeare’s masterpieces. It was founded by Joseph Papp under the idea to nurture artists and audiences by embracing the “theater for all” theme, in which everyone could have access to classical plays, just as in a library where everyone has access to books.

The theater is beautiful and it takes your breath away, you can see the park at night and see the stars while you’re at it. New Yorkers really enjoy this because it is cheap (as in free) and outdoors, which makes it even more fun (and romantic if you’re with your special someone). Locals spend much of their time indoors, because of work and specially the weather, so they seize the summer to do activities outdoors which they can only enjoy for so little time.

Because it is a free activity, in order to have tickets, people have to get in line for hours just to get two tickets. They start distributing them at noon the day of the play while supplies last, so it may be possible to be there for a long time and still not get a ticket. What I recommend is arriving early or subscribe for virtual ticketing, which is an online lottery that starts at noon also the day of the play. They let you know if you were selected, around 3:00 pm so you can go ahead and get your tickets before the show starts, if you are not there half and hour before, they give your tickets to someone in the line. You can only do this two times a year and only when the play is available for virtual ticketing.

The good news is that once you get your tickets, you can have a picnic arranged by them before the show, or just buy something to drink or eat while you’re there. They sell sandwiches, salads, beer, wine, and refreshments.

It’s good to know that the show will go on whether it rains or not, so do not miss it. And one localdiggz tip: do not buy any ponchos from the gift shop, they will give you one once you are seated so do not worry about it before.

So if you’re visiting Central Park and have some time in the summer, I really recommend Shakespeare in the Park, and if you are lucky you get to see one or two celebrities, I got the chance to spot all of the Modern Family crew, including the beautiful Sofia Vergara.

Ratings:

Price: $

Staff: Very Friendly

Food: Average

Overall: A must see in NYC

For more information visit: http://www.shakespeareinthepark.org

Like a walk in The Park?…

I am having so much fun writing about what I see and experience, I hope you are liking my posts, let me know what you like or what you don’t. I am creating “FEELING FRIDAY” (new section on the blog) because I want to post things (only on fridays) about what I’m feeling or thinking related to some places I visit or something I experience, I hope you like it. It could also be a tip (healthy tip, fitness tip, travel tip, cooking tip, etc) or a quote, or something you “should know about something.” Here is my first one:

I’m in New York City, my favorite city in the world. When I’m here I always take a walk on Central Park, a place tourists see as “another NYC attraction,” locals see comfort, escape, and getaway from the madness that the concrete jungle has. New Yorkers go to Central Park to wander, to think, to find the sun, relaxation, serenity, and release stress by doing exercise. They take long walks on the park to find a bench to read, to find the perfect spot for their wedding picture, to find the quiet place to sit and think, to take a class, to find inspiration for their art, to play, to jog, to run, to dance, or just to belong. For them a walk in this park is revelation…

For you, what is a walk on the park???

Me estoy divirtiendo mucho escribiendo sobre lo que veo y las experiencias que estos lugares me dejan, espero les gusten mis posts, háganme saber lo que les gusta y lo que no. Estoy creando “FEELING FRIDAY” (una nueva sección en el blog) porque quiero escribir cosas (solo los viernes) acerca de lo que siento o pienso, relacionado con los lugares que visito o alguna experiencia en especifico, espero les guste. También puede ser algún consejo (de salud, de ejercicio, de cocina, de viaje, etc.) una frase, o “lo que deberían saber” sobre algo. Aquí está el primer “FEELING FRIDAY:”

Estoy en Nueva York, mi ciudad favorita en el mundo. Cuando vengo siempre trato de caminar en Central Park, un lugar que los turistas ven como “una atracción más,” los locales lo ven como un lugar de confort, y escape de todo lo que es la jungla de concreto. Los Neoyorquinos van a Central Park a pasear, a pensar, a encontrar el sol, relajación, serenidad, y a liberar el estrés haciendo ejercicio. Ellos toman largas caminatas en el parque para encontrar una banca donde leer, encontrar el lugar perfecto para su foto de bodas, encontrar un lugar callado para pensar, para tomar una clase, encontrar inspiración para su arte, para jugar, correr, bailar, o simplemente pertenecer. Para ellos, una caminata en este parque es revelación…

Para ti, ¿¿¿que es una caminata en el parque???