A wise friend gave me some good advice: only blog when I want to and not on some sort of schedule.  Wise words, friend.  

While my Music Monday posts are always easy posts, they also always come from the heart.  Music is a huge part of my running and working out regimine, and honestly, it’s a huge part of my life.  I listen to music while commuting, curling my hair, travelling, and even working. 

Good music is not something to be kept a secret.  It’s one of those things where the rewards multiply the more you share it, sort of like a good mood.

Also, it’s been 5 weeks since I’ve run in Central Park.  Can you believe that I waited 9 sentences to tell you that?  But anyways, CP and I have a huge date on the horizon.  And when it happens it will be all sparkles and stars and fireworks and sweat and smiles.  I just had to let you know that me and Central Park aren’t on good terms right now. 

Now back to Music Monday.

Of, if you are not already listening to this song, listen to it:  Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen

Love Collision by Florence and the Machine and Afro Jack and Leona Lewis and Mark Knight

Hello Goodmorning by Diddy – Dirty Money and T.I.

Marilyn Monroe by Nikki Minaj

Coal War by Joshua James

Boyfriend by Justin Beiber

Too Close by Alex Clare

So what are you listening to these days?

Oh yes, I am going to do this.  I feel like I should just lie and say it was awesome and amazing and life-changing, but it wasn’t.  And I’m truly sorry it wasn’t, but it is what it is. 

Now before we get into what happened on Thursday, let’s talk about the past six years. But before I started running, I was a spinner.  I spun.  I spinned.  Whatever the term is is.  I did it.  And I did it so much, that had I started my blog back then it might be called Amanda Spins New York. 

Long before Soul existed, I was a devoted follower of Soul instructers, who were teaching at NYSC when I was a member there.  You could say, I was ahead of the curve.  And in fact, the class I took very much reminded me of the spin classes I loved at NYSC.

I can never tire of skyline shots of New York

Anyway, my fave NYSC instructors left, I moved from Queens to the UES, and then I switched to Equinox..  When I first switched to the ‘Nox, I bristled at their cardio focus in spin classes and I was extremely judgemental of the way that they didn’t emphasize all the various positions and movements  that were available on the bike.    The ‘Nox classes basically had two positions and two speeeds-heavy and light. Whereas, my NYSC classes had all that plus, push-ups, jumps and two different standing positions (so three positions in total).   I hated the “Nox spinning.  It wasn’t the way I had spun for the past three years.

But over time, the ‘Nox won me over, and their spinning classes have become a huge factor in my cross-training.   As I was discovering the ‘Nox spinning, I was becoming a runner.  I was embarking on two hour runs, exploring the West Side Highway, and falling in love with Central Park.  It’s no accident that as I became a cardio addict I reinvented my idea of the prefect spin class. 

So when I walked into my first Soul Cycle class on Thursday, I was prepared for awesome energy, an exciting playlist and a motivating instructor.  On that end, the class delivered, and then some.  But what I was totally unprepared for was the focus on upper body and core workouts.  Pretty much every moment of the class was spent doing some other exercise in addition to spinning. 

I felt like a fish out of water.  I couldn’t focus on the spinning and the other movements at the same time, and the speed was fast.  Everything was on about 80-90 RPMs.  And while at the end of the class, I was drenched in sweat, my legs didn’t have that tired, drained and achy feeling that I love.  They felt lose, like I could take on Harlem Hill a few times.  That was probably my fault, since I was afraid to up the tension and then compromise my form on the other movements, or wear myself out too quickly.

My teacher was obviously loved by many people and a very popular teacher, but there was so much going on, that I couldn’t just dig in and kill it because I was always focused on trying to do three other things at once.  I’m not good at exercise multi-tasking.   

I know that no spinning class - be it at a full service gym or a specialized spinning studio will offer the perfect-Amanda-class every session.  Just this morning, I went to a spin class at the ‘Nox, which featured some great ’80′s rock music, but a less than stellar workout.  And I don’t doubt that there are some classes at Soul that would blow my socks off.  The very spinning teacher that turned me into a spinning fool is Kelly Ripa’s favorite intructor, and she was even asked to help launch Soul on the West Coast.  

But Thursday’s class wasn’t the right one for me.  My ideal spin class is full of great tunes, lots of heavy climbing and an even mix of standing and sitting.  This class offered a full body workout, with an amazing playlist and an instructor who was full of motivation and energy.  She kept on saying, “C’mon bitches!” which made me laugh and dig in.  Sometimes, I wanted to yell back to her, “Ok, bitch!” but I didn’t because that wouldn’t have been nice and also, I didn’t have enough breath to make myself heard.

I’m a little bit disappointed that Soul Cycle wasn’t the life-changing workout-gasm I was expecting.  I know those types of classes exist there – but they also exist at lots of other gyms too.  In a way, I’m relieved that I don’t have to two-time my gym, and my poor wallet doesn’t have to break a sweat either.  

So there.  I did it.  I told you what I thought of Soul Cycle and it wasn’t all, “OMIGOD IT’S THE BEST WORKOUT EVER!” But really, I think that the only workout that’s ever going to get that stamp of approval is the New York Marathon.  Because, this is the Amanda Runs New York blog after all.

I like contradictions. 

Sneakers with my black tights and pencil skirt for a walk to work.

House music and show tunes on the same playlist.

Chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and cilantro.

Bananas, soy milk, and hemp seeds.

I am a bona-fide expert at sticking things into my blender.  It’s a true cooking skill.   I use my blender several times a week, mostly to make salad dressings, hummus, smoothies and juice. 

In my quest to blend everything in sight, I’ve managed to break two food processors and one blender – in the past two years.  I’m really kind to my blender.  I don’t put rocks in it, for example.  But since I use my blender about two times a week on average, it’s one hard working kitchen beast. 

My blender broke about two weeks ago while making hummus.  I removed the container from the engine and found half my hummus makings had leaked out.  Then a day or two later, bits of rubber appeared in my smoothie.  My poor blender was a mere sixteen months old, but it’s time had come to an end.

I knew I would have to replace my blender with something a bit more hardy.  I was originally using a heavy-duty KitchenAid model.  (It’s no longer available, but something like this baby.)  I’d heard about the fancy blenders like the Ninja, Blendtec, and Vitamix but their high price points really had me scared.

However, in over two years, I’ve proved to myself that I am a blending fool.  It’s a staple “ingredient” in my kitchen and I need to have a good quality tool.  But I didn’t just want to purchase the “best” one when something else would do.

So I decided to do a little analysis.  First I read lots of reviews on Amazon.  I cannot believe the detailed reviews people write.  Sometimes I have problems composing emails, and these people are writing full-out dissertations on blenders.  Bravo to you people who do this.  Where do you get the energy for this?

The reviews narrowed down three super blenders: Blendtec, Ninja, and Vitamix. All had great reviews.  So I compared a few key features. 

First I looked at warranties:  Blendtec and Vitamix offer 7 year warranties.  Ninja has a 2 year.

Then I looked at engine size: 

Blendtec – 1560 watts, Vitamix 1380, Ninja 1100. 

The blender I was using was about 720 watts, $129 ($99 on Amazon) and offered a one year warranty.

Finally, I compared prices.  Vitamix and Blendtec are about the same at around $450 for a base model.  The Ninja is $160. I broke the prices down into replacement costs per year.  I analyzed them based upon price per year of warranty, because any breakage during warranty was free.

The numbers worked out like this:

Then when I re-did the numbers, assuming that I’d only need to buy my KitchenAid every year and four months, I came up with this:

The Vitamix and the Blendtec were clearly the best deals based upon price, and although the Blendtec has a better engine and could be the better buy here, I wasn’t just trying to optimize blending power.  I had my wallet to think about too.

Ultimately I went with a refurbished Vitamix, which costs $329 and has a 5 year warranty.  The Blendec offers a refurbished model at $385 with a 3 year warranty as well.  The refurbished Vitamix has almost the same value as the brand-spanking new model. 

It was a no brainer.  So now, I’m the proud owner of this beautiful blending machine. 

This is not a tiny appliance.

It looks like brand new to me.  It even came with a handy-dandy little tool – the plunger. 

A light-saber for the kitchen. Watch out!

Buying a fancy, expensive item is never an easy decision.  Even if I know I will love it and use it, I always have to do the math to make sure it makes “cents.”  Reading reviews and, if you are lucky enough, testing out the product are always a good idea.  I try not to spend money without thinking about its “value” to me.  I don’t have cable because I can just watch every thing online or stream it live by connecting my television to my computer with an HDMI cord.  I’ve lived without cable for about two and a half years now, and I haven’t gone crazy yet.  For me, cable just wasn’t worth it. 

But some things are worth every single penny.

Now I’m off to blend up some things…produce drawer I’m coming for you.

Music fuels my workouts….and my after hours, work and even my writing.

By the way, as I’m writing, do you want to hear my thoughts on writing a novel?  Or maybe some of my plot ideas?  I want to write about a young girl who moves to NY in the ’60′s to be a journalist and her adventures doing it.  I hope to get her involved in some of the events of the late 60′s in New York.  Do you want to know about that?  I want my novel to be historical fiction (is that a genre?). 

Anyway, back to the music…now, check through all the songs because there is a little of something for everyone….so listen through.

But first, we start with something classic:

Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson

 And then,  a spinning teacher played this last week and I almost died, from sweating and pure nostalgia….

 So if you are still listening after this flashback, it’s time to get down to the music of right now that I’m enjoying. 

Running It by Diafrix 

Both of Us by B.O.B and Taylor Swift

 Young Forever by Nicki Minaj

Yeah, and that’s just a small snippet of what I’ve been listening to…..what have you been listening to? and why type of music do you love?  Next week, I will have something totally new for you…..so feel free to share your desires for country, rock, alternative, and even classical….I might just have something for you next week. 

until then…

Happy Monday!  I hope you enjoying an extra day off today but if not, then enjoy some music:

Crave You (Adventure Club Dubstep Remix) by Flight Facilities

Starships by Nikki Minaj

Mean by Taylor Swift

Louder Than Words (Feat. Niles Mason) by David Guetta and Afrojack

Heartbeat by Childish Gambino

And what are you listening to right now?

I'm a total NY nerd, but doesn't that make you feel like everything in the world is possible?

I don’t even know how to begin this post.  I’d like to apologize for being AWOL for so long, but I’m not really sorry that I took a break.  Everyone needs a break.  

I’d also like to explain why I needed a break, but while I broadcast a lot of things on my blog, this isn’t my diary.  Besides, it’s not my place to talk about things that are going on in other people’s lives – even if they impact me in a strong way.

But still, it’s been almost ten whole days (aside from my Super Bowl post).  A lot has happened – the beautiful Whitney Houston died, Fashion Week started, Romney’s lead doesn’t seem so certain anymore, Adele won a bunch of Grammy’s and Nikki Minaj pissed off the Pope.  But you already knew all of that stuff.

So let’s get down to the boring old stuff that happened to me in the past week.

Yeah, I wear sunglasses indoors sometimes. Don't I look cook?

Bad things.

Food Poisoning. I’ll spare you the details, but let’s just say 24 hours of no sleep and too much time in the bathroom make for a very unhappy Amanda.  Positive note:  I decided to snack on some yummy rice cakes once the nasuea passed, and not only did they not make an encore appearance, but they just might become a snack-time staple.

I locked myself out of my apartment.  When I run  each morning, I remove the keys to my apartment and slip them in a pocket.  On Tuesday morning, I forgot to put them back on the key chain, and learned a $282 lesson.  (Side note: YES! Someone has spare keys and they were not responding to me, hence why I was forced to call a locksmith.) Positive note:  When waiting for the locksmith, I browsed the Sur la Table catalog and picked out my future espresso machine – for when I win the lotto and can afford it, of course.

Pretty

I skipped my long run.  Runner fail. Positive note:  I slept in and didn’t have to run in the Saturday snow/rain mess.

Whitney Houston died.  When I was in elementary school, my girlfriends and I held competitions singing “I Will Always Love you” on the playground during recess to see who could do it best.  As it turns out, no one can do it better than Whitney (although, Jennifer Hudson did a great tribute.)  Positive note:  Her spirit and voice will live on forever on my iPod.

I realized that my blog has a life span. Ever since I started this little blog I’ve been contemplating my future – I want to be a writer. But I also like my job and need it’s salary to pay off my student loans.  This has come to the recent realization that I will need to wrap up my blog at some point and pursue my true writing passion – novels.  I can’t write a book, a blog, and also maintain my job.  Something needs to give and my blog baby is that thing.  I’m not done yet, but I will be one day.  Positive note:  This only makes the last days of my blog that much sweeter.  It also means I’m one step closer to achieving my dreams.

Really bad news.  That’s all you are going to get.  But let’s just say that the bad news is enough to make me spontaneously tear up at work, have lots of disturbing dreams, and wonder if I should make a major life change.  Positive note:  This bad news means that I probably won’t have to ever hear even more devastating bad news later on.

Yeah, sharp teeth runs in the family

That’s enough bad news for now, so are you ready for some good news?  Yeah, me too.

My oldest and dearest friend came to visit me.  There is nothing I love more than a visitor, and especially someone I’ve known for longer than even my little brothers, most of my little cousins, and all of my other friends.  It’s great to play tourist in New York, and even better to spend it with someone who I don’t feel ashamed to ask for a second bread basket at dinner.  Bonus points:  Hosting a visitor is like going on vacation but not having to pay for hotels or planes.

Broadway.   Despite living only a mile from Broadway, I rarely see a show, except when visitors are in town.  They’re expensive!  But with a friend in town, I had the perfect reason to go once again. We saw Memphis, and the music was amazing.  This show made me realize that there is no such thing as a bad Broadway show.  Bonus points:  The 50′s costumes on the ladies are so timeless that I want all their outfits to wear right now.   Also, how can I learn to dance like that?

There's no such thing as a sold out show in New York.

Good Chinese food.  If you ever come to New York and you want to splurge on one meal, I will suggest, no I will insist, on Buddakan.  The food is heavenly.  There is no such thing as a bad dish here.  The edamame dumplings, lobster spring rolls, and black pepper steak are other worldly.  And it doesn’t stop there.  We also went to the delightful Bocca in the Upper East Side, and enjoyed an orgasmic salted caramel cupcake at Sprinkles.  Bonus points:  Buddakan is the location of Big and Carrie’s engagement party in the first SATC movie. If it’s good enough for Carrie…..

Ahh, spa.  My friend and I wanted to visit a spa but we didn’t want to break the bank, so instead of splurging on a fancy massage we went to Equinox at 63rd Street and indulged in their sauna, steam room, hot and cold dip, and hot tub.  Oh my water therapies.  There is nothing like sitting in an eucalyptus scented steam room for ten minutes then jumping in a freezing cold pool to feel alive.  Next time you feel like pampering yourself, head to the nearest bathhouse or fully equipped water spa and save yourself a few bucks on the massage.  Bonus points:  We gossiped the whole time.

Did you know that Manhattan is an island?

Foam rolling.  I’ve never been a religious roller.  The past three weeks, I’ve rolled after spinning classes and speed workouts and my recovery has felt so much more effortless.  It hurts so much, but man, it’s like getting a new pair of legs every day.  I’m on the verge of buying one for home so I can do it all the time.  Maybe, I will spend my Friday nights foam rolling.  Bonus points:  I’ve been doing a few planks and ab workouts after rolling.  This could be the summer I finally wear a bikini.

Speed workout.  After my last race I decided to really commit to my speed workouts.  I don’t know how to run uncomfortably anymore.  So instead of heading outside for a speed workout based upon my Garmin, I went to a treadmill and did some half mile intervals. I still hate the dreadmill and believe in speed workouts outdoors, but since I can’t afford a coach the treadmill allows me some consistent speed workouts.  This week I did 5 @ 1/2 miles at 6.0 with 2 minute rest. The previous week, I had done 8 @ 1/4 miles at 6.0  with 1.5 minute rest.  I call this a win.  Bonus points:  My last interval was actually run at around 6.5 pace.

 And there you have it…that’s basically what I’ve been up to….the good and the bad.

So what have you been up to?  I’ve missed all my readers!  And tell me do you think that I should spend about $150 to fix a 3 year old computer or buy a new one? I can’t decide.  It’s otherwise in good shape but what if in two months, something else breaks?  

There is always tomorrow. Always.