Cherry Blossom: Pros and Cons

Yesterday I ran the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile race in Washington DC. I have been lucky enough to have been to DC several times before, so I did not feel pressured to go and see all the sights or stand in really long lines to get into the museums (the line for the Natural History was all the way down the block!) I had a great (leisurely)  day on Saturday wandering around, meeting up with these girls, checking out the "new to me" MLK Memorial and trying to find a few cherry blossoms. There were a few, but you could tell that the early warm weather and subsequent rain kind of ruined the timing for most of them. That didn't stop me from taking a bazillion photos, but that deserves a post of it's own.

PROS:

- The expo. I was in and out in 10 minutes. Everything was well signed; the volunteers were directing you to your next stop; there were plenty of bathrooms. Plus it was in the National Building Museum, which is a gorgeous old building. I didn't really check out the booths since there were so many people, but there were a ton of options!

- The commute. I got a hotel about a mile from the start line and it was SO NICE to leave only 15 minutes before I wanted to get there. Usually racing involves some kind of commute, but this one was a nice short one! It was so convenient! Even if you did not stay in the city, the metro is very handy. This is a definite plus!

The weather. It was not too hot. On the other hand, I was going to wear shorts, but opted for pants at the last minute because I am a wimp and I would rather be warm during the race than stand around freezing beforehand. It was probably about 45 - 50 degrees during the race.

- Port-a-potties. There must have been a couple hundred of those bad boys. Plus they had them along the course every couple of miles. However, this didn't stop the lines at the start from looking like this. I waited in line for 30 minutes even though I didn't even have to go when I got in line!

- The wave start. There were 6 (I think) different waves, which made for a much less confusing start. I was in the Red. Wave. Haha. The race began at 7:30 but the red wave didn't start until 7:33. The only thing about that is that the elite runners started at 7:20 and that is when they started the clock, so every time I got to a mile marker, the clock scared me a little bit. For example, at the first mile, the clock said 21 minutes or something like that. Ouch.

- The location. The race started and ended at the Washington Monument. You couldn't ask for a nicer place to run. Much of the course was along either the tidal basin or the Potomac, which meant running near water a lot of the time.

- Meeting up with the girls (mentioned above). It was so nice to finally put faces to the names. We did not get any photos. I am so bad at that.

- The bibs. They had our names on them! This is the first time I have ever had one with my name on it. It made me feel special, like I was an elite runner or something. I liked it.

- Water stops. There were a lot of them and they were nice and long. However, with all the people, I missed the first one because I was all the way over to the left and it was on the right. I noticed later there was a sign before each stop, but it didn't say which side the stop was going to be on and they did change sides.

- The website was very easy to navigate, was packed full of information and you could even watch the race on live streaming video if you wanted.

CONS:

- The crowd. There must have been 20,000 people. I really don't know how many there really were, but there were A LOT. Usually everyone spends the first mile or so finding their pace, passing a few people, getting passed by a few people...this happened for the entire 10 miles. There was never a time when I had a little bubble of space around me. It was very claustrophobic and I had a hard time maintaining a pace when I was constantly having to pass people.

- Speaking of passing people, and this is not the race management's fault, but what is up with people who get into a corral that is faster than their pace? It really irks me. This race was done on a wave start. I think my wave was 8 - 9 minute mile pace, yet clearly some of the people who I was passing at the beginning were slower than a 9 minute mile. Do people feel like they have to prove something? Like they are wimpy if they get in the correct corral? Because that is not the case! It's just that it's hard enough having to pass people that are going 2 seconds per mile slower than you; it's nearly impossible when they are going a whole minute slower. Get in the correct corral please.

- The "goodies" after the race consisted of water, Gatorade, bananas and muffins. That's it. Really, people? You can't get some better treats than that? I know that most of our race entry fees probably went to the street closures and security and stuff like that, but I expected a better spread.

- In fact, to top the above cop out, you also had to pay extra for a medal and/or a technical tee-shirt.

- The corrals (ie the wave start) were packed! I don't know how you were supposed to get into them either; I couldn't find a doorway. I ended up squeezing through the bars of the metal barrier in order to get in. And then I stood there, back to front with all my fellow runners. I guess I should have showered beforehand. 

- Not meeting up with Jill. She didn't have her phone with her and we set up a meeting spot for before the race but I didn't realize that there were going to be a million other people on the same corner, so we missed each other. Blogger meetup: fail.

Verdict? I probably will not do this race again. I bet that if you want to run in DC, there are a ton of other races which probably have just as nice of a course, but less people. It was a fun race on a nice course in a beautiful city, but I prefer smaller, more personal races. Besides, there are so many other places I need to see!

Now, an important question. On my 50 states list, where does this fall? Do I need a "50 states and a District" list? 

Have you ever been to DC? Have you ever been to a Cherry Blossom festival? Have you ever gotten a bib with your name on it?

Diva Dash: Race Recap

Last weekend I ran the Diva Dash 5k in Kansas City, KS. It was a pretty nice day with approximately 50 degree weather and pretty strong winds. I was wearing pants, a short sleeved shirt and a long sleeved shirt. Once again, I was overdressed. I did not carry water. I finally got a chance to use my iFitness belt and my Chica Band!

Pre-race excitement

Mile 1: 7:00/mi
I made sure to try and get in the beginning of the pack. I knew this race was a run/walk and the last time I did one of these, I did not get in the front, and ended up having to pass a lot of the walkers, who for some reason were in the beginning of the pack. My first mile is always the fastest. I think the combination of trying to pass people and thinking that maybe I will slow down later gives me the energy to push it for the first 10 minutes, or whatever it takes. So the first few minutes were spent passing people and then the pace evened out a bit. I think at this point I had maybe 20 people in front of me.

Mile 2: 7:02/mi

I spent this mile trying to pass as many people as I could. I probably passed 6-8 girls in the 2nd mile. This course was variable with a few ups and downs and I noticed that I can usually pass people on hills, when they typically slow down. I guess that hill training pays off! I was pushing pretty hard and my legs were getting pretty tired, but I was pushed on my the fact that on the straight stretches I could see the front of the pack and they were not too far ahead of me. 

Mile 3: 7:03/mi

This mile was a little bit of a downhill and then pretty much a slow steady uphill to the end. At this point the wind was blowing right toward me, hard. I passed a few more girls and was neck in neck with a small girl in black. I passed her, but the wind was really taking the energy out of me. Then I noticed she was drafting me! I could see her in my shadow, trying to keep behind me to stay out of the wind. I swerved. I wasn't about to help her, not when I could still see the leaders just ahead of me. I couldn't tell at this time if there were 2 or 3 or 4 of them, but they were right there! 

Mile 3.1: 7:06/mi

The wind got me. The slight uphill got me. The girl behind me passed me. I crossed the line without an ounce of energy left. I felt like throwing up, but instead drank a bottle of water in one gulp and then had a banana.

Results:
Chip Time: 21:36
Garmin Time: 21:49 (7:02/mi) I always forget to stop it right away!
5/1130 overall
2/239 age group**

I won this. What the heck am I going to do with it?

 Notes: I really wish I would have pushed harder and not let that girl pass me at the very end. I think she was in my age group, so if I would have pushed a little harder, I could have placed first in my group. I probably should have worn less clothing because I was sweating pretty hard by the end. I am proud of myself though. **I placed, I got a new PR and I ran my fastest mile ever.

After that, I ran (slowly) back along the course, to meet my friend who was walking, so I could walk with her to the finish line. She finished in about 45 minutes which is a new PR for her as well! I am really glad she could join me; it's always nice to have a friend at any race! 
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Next up: Cherry Blossom 10 Mile in Washington DC this Sunday!! The weekend after that, I have my fourth 12 in 2012 race: The Grizzly Peak Trail Half in Berkeley!
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Don't forget to go over to Jill's and check out the other Fitness Friday posts! 

Have you ever ran a race with a friend? How do you feel about drafting? Have you perfected the race day outfit yet?

Then and Now: March

Looking back on the last year is fun. I like seeing where I was then vs where I am now. Some things are SO different; others are exactly the same. Last year I was traveling around Southeast Asia. I chopped off my hair in Bangkok, I had a few bad days, and I dealt with some money problems. This year I chopped off my hair again, my fire got put out by some hot firemen, and I tried a couple of new things.

Let's take a look at what happened March 2011 vs what happened in March 2012, the Who, the What and the Where.

WHO: 

2011: 

A few monks and a few monkeys

2012: 

Mr. L, Dad, Lucy the dog

WHAT:  

2011 Activities: 

Scuba Diving, Not so much running

2012 Activities: 

Paddle boarding, Running

Running Miles: 

2011: 0 / 2012: 106

March 2011 was a no running month. I did do some hiking and walking, but no running. I am glad that this year I am focusing more on running (as well as still doing some hiking and walking!)

Races: 

2011: 0 / 2012: 6

 Bidwell Classic (Half Marathon)
  Let's Move it Mama's Spring Fever Virtual 10k
Armadillo 10k
Detroit Runner's I Just Felt Like Running Virtual 10k
Spatula Runners Virtual 10k
Diva Dash 5k

2011 Food: 

Fresh Fruit Breakfast and Pad Thai Lunches

2012 Food: 

Veggies!  Oats, fruit, nuts!

Reads:

2011: 8 / 2012: 2

It seems that with an increase in running comes a decrease in reading. I can't say that March's books were all that interesting; maybe that is the reason for less reading. I sometimes try to find other things to do if my book isn't capturing my attention.

WHERE: 

 2011:

Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore

2012:

Oakland, Florida, Kansas City

The verdict? March in both years was pretty good as far as eating and traveling goes, but my activity levels have increased a lot since last March and my reading levels have decreased a lot. I am really having a great month this month visiting lots of friends and family, running and making new meals! I will be happy if April continues along a similar vein.  

What were you doing last March? What things in your life have changed in the last year?

Movie Buff

I don't watch a lot of TV. I don't really watch a lot of movies either. I never have. That's just not what I do with my leisure time. I know there are a lot of people that love watching movies, know all the movie lines and can name all the actors. My friend's boyfriend is one of those. The other day we were talking and I mentioned to him that I had never seen Jaws.

He thought I was crazy, a weirdo, someone who needed to be schooled immediately about fish and boats and Richard Dryfus. He set up a movie night so I could come over and be a real American, so I could see this movie that Everyone else had seen years ago (particularly if you are my age).

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So I watched it. It was pretty good. I can't say that I have really been missing anything. And I am not sure it had the same effect on me that it would have if I had watched it when I was 8, not only because the scare factor would have been greater, but also in the 80s they didn't have some of the cool special effects that they have now, so that shark was probably awesome.

My boyfriend also made me watch The Godfather (I) in the same kind of "You must watch this! This is a classic movie" attitude as my friend's boyfriend. I thought it too was just okay. I still have not seen II or III. I am in no hurry.

Now, I did grow up in the 80s in America, so yes, I have seen Princess Bride, Spaceballs and The Star Wars Trilogy; I wasn't born under a rock, but I have missed out on some of the movies that other people consider classics. On this list of the Top 100 80s Movies, I have watched 25 of them. Of the 100 Greatest 70s Movies, I have seen 13. Some favorites: Monty Python and The Holy Grail, Airplane, Grease, The Breakfast Club, and When Harry Met Sally (and not on the list: Goonies). 

What was your favorite movie growing up? How many of the movies on the top 100 lists have you seen? Are you a movie buff?

Diva Dash: Pros & Cons

While visiting a friend of mine in Kansas City, I dragged her to invited her to join me at the Diva Dash in the great state of Kansas. I am trying to race in every state and this would satisfy my Kansas quotient. Right now it doesn't matter what distance it is, any race is sufficient! So, after running this race, my number of states is up to 10!

This race was held on city streets, in one of the outlying areas of Kansas City. There was a good turnout; there were about 1200 people for the 5k. There was also a Little Princess dash, which I believe was one mile. This race, as the name suggests, WAS all women. This is only my second all women race; the first was Women Run The Cities in Minneapolis.

All The Ladies

Pros:

- The energy of this race was great. There were tons of spectators along the beginning and end sections, mostly men and children, and the enthusiasm was great. There was one guy at the very last stretch who was cheering everyone on. It was so nice to have someone cheering for me, even if he didn't know me. I am sure he made everyone else feel great too!

- The ladies working the booths were all really nice. Even though the packet pickup was a little confusing (see below), they were all very friendly and chipper, so it was easy to maneuver.

- The swag. Technical tees in women's cuts and sizes. They also had hats you could buy for $5. For food there were cookies, bananas, edamame, water and Neuro, which is a drink I had not tried before. It was good! I tried the Bliss and the Sun. Both were tasty. There are several other flavors; I would like to try them all. 

- The weather. This may not be normal, but it was about 50 degrees and sunny for the 8:30 am race. I want weather like this every time I race!

- The location. This race was only about 10 minutes from my friend's house. I got to sleep in until about an hour before the race! 

- My friend who came with me said she liked that it was all women, she liked the course, which was varied with up and down hills (and not a lot of flats), she liked that people were wearing costumes, which made the race fun, and she liked that there were both walkers and runners, so she didn't feel pressured to go faster or feel too worried about coming in last.

Cons:

- The packet pickup and registration were in a tiny little room. This race was held in a shopping center, so they opened up one of the stores to do the registration in. It was not big enough for everyone to come in and fill out paperwork and get their packets. It was very tight.

- The packet pickup was difficult to find. Usually it's in a tent out in the middle somewhere. We had to hunt around and ask a bunch of people in order to find this one.

- Not enough port-a-potties. 1200 girls. 8 port-a-potties. It does not compute.

So, except for a few logistical difficulties, this was a great race! If you are just starting out running, I would suggest looking for a fun race like this, where there are walkers (so you won't be the slowest), or where it's a fun run, with costumes or kids or a theme.

Have you ever run an all women race? Do you have a 50 state race goal? Do you like to participate in events or go to parties where you can wear a costume?

Rock On

I am going to admit something kind of embarrassing. My first concert ever was...

Bryan Adams.

If you are my age, you may remember the Robin Hood Prince of Thieves era and the Everything I Do, I Do it For You phase. Remember going to school dances? Where the boys were on one side and the girls were on the other, both of them too shy to ask the other to dance? But you were AT the dance, so obviously you WANTED to dance. Thank you Bryan Adams. Thanks for giving me the courage to grab the guy next to me and dance with him without touching anything but his shoulders.

My Dad took me and my friend to the concert. It was great. We got up to the front of the crowd, closed our eyes and sang along with "Summer of 69". It was some good times, let me tell you.

The other day, my brother and I went to see the Kaiser Chiefs, and it made me remember how much I love going to concerts. Growing up, we lived pretty far from the nearest amphitheater (about 2 hours) but we still managed to see a few shows and through the years I have made it a point to see a concert now and then. There is just something about live music that is magical. Do you know what I mean?

Here are a few of the concerts I've been to since "The Summer of 69":

- Aerosmith
- The Scorpions
- Rage Against the Machine (w/roots)
- Steve Miller Band
- Metallica (w/Korn)
- Sevendust
- Page and Plant
- 311
- The Deftones
- Rage Against The Machine (w/ Mix Master Mike)
- The Rolling Stones (w/ Pearl Jam)
- The Beastie Boys
- Chris Isaac
- Phil Lesh and Friends
- Cheap Trick
- The Trans Siberian Orchestra 
- Medeski Martin & Wood
- Slow Gherkin
- Dave Matthews
- The Crystal Method
- Underworld
- Bumbershoot (Kings of Leon etc)
- Jazzfest (Joss Stone, Paul Simon, Lionel Ritchie, Ellis Marsalis, etc)
- Kings of Leon
- Arctic Monkeys
- Rebirth Brass Band
- Blues Traveler
- Kermit Ruffins
- Galactic
- Teresa Andersson
- Professor Longhair
- Enanitos Verdes
- She Wants Revenge
- Kaiser Chiefs 

My favorite? Its a 4 way tie between Rage / Rebirth / The Kings of Leon at the House of Blues in New Orleans / Page and Plant; they are legends. The most interesting? Phil Lesh and Friends. If you are looking for hippies, go see Phil. The coolest? Enanitos Verdes. I saw them in Cochabamba, Bolivia. It was so much fun! 

As you can see, I was into the hair bands for a while. I guess I also pick rock concerts over anything else (although I have been to the Symphony quite a few times and I love Musicals!)  I also really loved being in New Orleans, where you can watch a band at a smaller venue, and oftentimes you may even catch an impromptu show!

Okay, feel free to make fun of me now. I know. You've been waiting patiently.

What was your first concert? What is your most embarrassing concert to admit to? What was your favorite concert?

Gas and Dash

This week, as I mentioned in this post, has been a good one! Although the weather report the entire week was for rain, we had surprisingly nice days, with 50 degree temps and sometimes even clear skies! This is why I love living in the Bay Area, where it is always spring!

I went for an awesome run in the hills. 

The sky cleared up midway through and I had a great view of San Francisco. 

I love it when that happens. 

 

I went to a sale, but I didn't find any good deals! 

Yes, that says $4.29, and actually this photo was taken on Monday. 

On Thursday, the same gas was $4.49. Sheesh. 

 

The Broski and I went to see the Kaiser Chiefs at the Fillmore. 

We can't go to the City without partaking in some excellent food. 

Today's choice: Pho and Vietnamese Coffee at Pho 2000!

 

I bought new running shoes. 

New meets old. 

According to Running Ahead the old ones had 719 miles on them. 

Oops. 

One of my biggest pet peeves? 

Unleashed dogs. 

People that don't follow rules. 

Or know how to read signs. 

(That says "ON". Excuse the paper in the way)

 

I took a plane ride. Wheeeee. 

I got to see Colorado and Utah. 

Beautiful! 

 

My friend and I wandered around town exploring. 

Restaurant or strip club? 

You choose. 

Doesn't everyone need one of these? 

(in case you can't see, it's a singing toothbrush)

I discovered the joy of....wait for it....

Serve Yourself frozen yogurt! 

Where have you been all my life!? 

To work off said yogurt, my friend and I ran the Diva Dash 5k. 

It was great! 

More on that later. 

How was your week? Have you ever tried Vietnamese coffee? Have you ever had self serve frozen yogurt (if so, what is your favorite combination)?

Race You to The Finish!

Have you ever signed up for a race via lottery? What about a race that was not close to where you lived? I have done it twice. The first one was the NYC Half Marathon. I had just completed my first half marathon and when my friend said he was going to put his name in the lottery, I thought why the heck not. So I did. This was in April. The race was in August. I got in. The next several months consisted of a steady decline in training, culminating in a 90 degree, 2 hour and 14 minute, painful race. The view was spectacular. I think that is the only thing that got me through. 

I should have learned my lesson. 5 months ahead of time is a little bit too far in the future for me, planning wise. Even though I am a planner. But I didn't learn. In December, I put my name in the lottery for the Cherry Blossom 10 mile race, which is in Washington DC. In April. I got in. In case you were wondering, I live in California.

So, now the race is about a week away. I contemplated saying, "forget about it" and staying home, but it just so happened that I had a couple extra flight miles, so I used them to get myself a ticket to DC, where I will run the race. I am  also hoping to meet up with some blogger friends for lunch, play tourist, look at the pretty flowers, see some family and to go back to a couple of the Smithsonian Museums that I haven't been to in a few years. All I can say is that there better be some cherry blossoms there or I am going to be really mad.

In the meantime, I decided to keep up my fitness by doing a few smaller and virtual races. In case you need a little motivation, some of these are a great way to get it, without having to pay for a race, travel or even leave your neighborhood! Click on the thumbnails to go to the sites and sign up!

March 10: 10k -- time: 47:28

March 20: 10k -- time: 54:47 / 8:50/mi (goes until March 25th)

10k -- March 19 - 30

5k -- March 24

5k/ 10k/ Half Marathon -- April 1 - 8

Have you ever been to Washington DC? Have you ever signed up for a race but not ran it or not trained enough? Are you signed up for any of the above virtual races?

Wine and Love (6)

It's time for this week's Wine and Love, hosted by Nora. This is where you list the things that are happening this week that are making you reach for the wine and all the things that you love!

WINE: 

- Not working. It sucks. I wouldn't mind it if I knew that I had a sure thing coming at some point, but not knowing the when or where is hard sometimes. I knew it would be like this going in, and I have money saved just for this reason, but still, when there is no "end" in sight, it is hard to plan the rest of my life.

- My running headphones are broken. I can only hear out of one ear bud. I guess it's time for new ones, but I swear, I go through about 2 pairs of them each year! It's getting to be an expensive habit!

- I haven't been reading. In March, so far, I have only read ONE book. I know it's my own fault; I am not making time for it, but I miss it. I need to fit it back into my schedule. I am pretty much on track for my 12 in 2012 reading challenge still, but I need to get in gear or I may fall behind!

- Gas Prices:

LOVE: 

- That I have more loves than wines.

- Today, I am on a plane headed to see one of my best friends! She and I plan on doing LOTS of catching up, eating, window shopping, walks and time spent together. I can't wait.

- This week my brother met up with me in the city and we went to the Fillmore to see the Kaiser Chiefs. I haven't been to a concert in a long time, but it reminded me how much I love going to see live music!

- Sunday I had a great chat on the phone with both of my parents. It's nice to catch up and to hear their voices. I miss them.

- I finally bought new running shoes! I wore them for the first time on Tuesday for a 6 mile run and they feel GREAT! I was waiting to get a good deal; I looked online and compared prices and then ended up going to Sports Authority because they were having a sale PLUS 20% off one item. I scored my shoes for $50! Hurray! I was hoping to spend less that $70, so this was a steal of a deal!

- The weather. Right now we are having perfect, 45-50 degree days. It is great running weather, the sky has been clear and on my runs I can see all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge! I love it.

- One of my goals was to do yoga one day a week. I am doing it, although only for about 15 or 20 minutes, but it feels great. I am trying to build it up, little by little and am looking forward to seeing where it takes me!

What's on your wine/love list this week? What earphones do you use? How much is gas where you live?

WIAW (2) & Food Firsts (1)

I have a few different lists of goals. I have  a life list, which I have not put online, but it's been there for a while and I am slowly chipping things off and probably more rapidly adding things to it. It is a work in progress.

I also have a Project 52 list, which I made because of Karen's suggesting it. I also have not put this one online, as a lot of the things on my list are private, things I want to do for me. BUT. One of my goals for myself recently was to try a new recipe once a month. I have been pinning recipes, as well as just going and buying stuff and throwing it together on my own accord. I love doing that; it's like an experiment or a game. You win if it tastes good. You try again if it doesn't.

I have blown my goal out of the water. So far, I have probably made a new recipe at least once a week. Here is one I made recently that I liked! They are not too sweet, which I like, but if you have a sweet tooth, you may want to add a little sugar. Also, I will probably add more cinnamon next time! These make a great breakfast muffin or a nutritious snack. They have approximately 100 calories per muffin.

Low-fat Apple Oatmeal Muffins

Prep Time: 10 minutes / Cook Time: 20 minutes / Total Time: 30 minutes (adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients:

2 cups apple, peeled and shredded

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup quick oats

2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup fat-free milk (I used unsweetened Almond milk)

2 tbsp canola oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup plain fat-free yogurt

2 egg whites (I used one whole egg)

1. Combine wet and dry ingredients separately. 

2. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir. 

3. Put batter into lined or greased muffin tin. **NOTE: I used papers, and the muffins got stuck to the paper, so I ended up eating half muffin, half paper. I would suggest a greased tin or better papers than the ones I have! Darn it Martha!

I only filled mine about half full, since I would rather have more smaller muffins rather than less bigger ones. The recipe suggests 12 muffins, but I made 24 (obviously, if you only make 12, they will have approximately 200 calories per muffin instead!)

4. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. 

5. Eat three two one (see, I am glad I made them smaller!)

For more recipes I am thinking of trying, or to find me on Pinterest, go HERE. Also, since it is Wednesday, here's WIAW, part deux, hosted by Jenn at Peas and Crayons.

Breakfast: 

Steel Cut Oats with Apple / Pumpkin Seed / Sunflower Seed / Almond Milk

Spinach & Egg Muffin with Yellow Bell Pepper

Gummy Vitamins (yum)

Lunch/Dinner:

Mixed Bean Soup

Corned Beef

Chicken Breast

Snacks:

2 Apple Oat muffins

Strawberries with Cottage Cheese

Carrots and Hummus

Greenish Drink (Almond milk / Spinach / Frozen Peaches / Flax seed)

What I learned? I did not eat very much green stuff on this day! Also, I use the little light blue bowl a lot. Also, I need to work on my food photography. Katrina, over at Capture Your 365, suggests reading this article for some food photo tips.

Do you try new recipes often? Do you have a new favorite? Are you good at taking food photos?

Beach Trends

As you know, I recently spent some time on the beach, during spring break. So, I am here to tell you what this year's beach trends are going to be, based on what I saw.

{1} The Bandeau Bikini Top: These were EVERYWHERE. Small boobs, big boobs, on men. Okay, that part is not true. But. This was the top du jour! I even saw many a (brave) girl playing paddle ball, corn hole and even...running (yes!) in this top. It's the new sports bra! Personally, I have tried it on before and I think it looks horrible on me. You need to have medium sized boobs to pull this off, in my opinion.

{2} But Without the Matching Bottoms: Now you can keep all your old separates and wear them together, whether they match or not. I especially like it when one is striped and the other is floral. But hey, this is your chance to finally use all those pieces you never thought you would be able to use again!

{3} The Not Annoying at All Whistling Nerf Football: What's more annoying than a bunch of college guys throwing footballs on a crowded beach? College guys throwing footballs that MAKE NOISE. Yes, college guys have found a new way to be annoying. I guess they are smarter than we though.

{4} Sandcastle Shaped Buckets: Is it just me or have toys gotten way better since I was younger? These are awesome. Why didn't they have them when I was a kid? You don't have to shape the castle with your hands anymore, which always results in a castle shaped like a mound? Sweet! I may run to Target and buy some of these for myself right now.

This is what my castle building skill consists of.

This is what I could make if I had those buckets.

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{5} Stand Up Paddleboards: These were everywhere. Old folks are doing it. Young folks are doing it. Where I was, the ocean was calm enough that you could do it right off the beach. And I can see why. It's a fun, relaxing way to get exercise and as a bonus, you can see into the water really well when you are 5 feet above it, rather than being in a kayak right at the water level.

Photo Credits: {1}, {2}, {3}, {4}, {5},

So get out ye old swimsuits and get ye to Target to buy the new stuff before heading out to the beach this year, lest ye be behind the times. 

What do you think about bandeau tops? How are your sandcastle making skills? What is your favorite on the beach sport to play?

Red Brick, Black Mountain, White Clay

Red Brick, Black Mountain, White Clay by Christopher Benfey is a book about an unforgettable voyage across the reaches of America and the depths of memory. Red Brick, Black Mountain, White Clay follows one incredible family to discover a unique craft tradition grounded in America¹s vast natural landscape. Looking back through the generations, renowned critic Christopher Benfey unearths an ancestry--and an aesthetic--that is quintessentially American (excerpt from Goodreads.)

This book is written in three sections. The first started off on an interesting note, talking about the author's grandfather and his background in brickmaking and pottery in North Carolina. He talks about finding the clay, forming the bricks, and firing the bricks. He has a love of brickwork, learned from his grandfather, that I found sweet.

The second section is about the Appalachians and the author's great aunt and uncle, who came over from Germany to start an art school in the foothills of the mountains. This section also had some stories of WWII and how the author's relatives, who were Jewish, fled to Mexico in order to get over to the USA during the war.

The third section is about the search for the perfect Cherokee clay in North Carolina, which is used  to make fine porcelain. The author schools the readers on the two types of clay, residual, which stays where it was formed, and sedentary, which moves with the rain and waterways. The Cherokee clay is residual and is hard to find outside of China. 

I found this book informative, but to be honest, I had a hard time getting through some of the sections. There was so much talk about clay and art and the author went back and forth between great-uncles and grandparents and parents, that I got a little overwhelmed. I liked the idea that he was trying to portray a journey and to compare and contrast, but I think it may have been more comprehensive to stick with a main theme, rather than doing the book in sections.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from TLC Book Tours in return for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

Have you ever been to North Carolina? Are you interested in pottery, clay or art in general?