Christy Blakely

I'm coming back! (for real this time) ... (promise!)

2009-01-13T10:03:00.000-05:00

MIA

2008-04-17T11:47:00.000-04:00

I miss my blog!!
Major updates coming soon -- promise!

Dante

2008-02-11T21:22:00.000-05:00

"A great flame follows a little spark."

Happy Birthday!

2008-02-04T08:51:00.001-05:00

A big happy birthday wish to my friends and colleagues, Byron and Patrick! I hope you have a great day!

Cheers!

Opera!

2008-02-03T23:28:00.000-05:00

I love the Opera. It really suits me ... it's like a play, musical and the symphany all rolled-up into one -- plus I get to interact by reading along -- it really keeps my attention. Not to mention it is soooo over the top! The sets and costumes are always quite extravagant -- this time was no different! JNK and I went to Verdi Giussepi's Aida on Saturday night ... it was spectacular! At times there were 60+ performers on stage, and a parade of animals - no kidding - including a camel and zebra (crazy!) - we really enjoyed it.

Going to the Mountains

2008-02-03T22:27:00.000-05:00

JNK set off on a snowboarding trip to Big Sky Montana the week before last ... as I didn't grow up skiing/snowbording, such trips aren't the most appealing to me. JNK had a great time on the big mountains and visiting fellow UK architecture alum Tara in Bozeman.

In the meantime, I found my own way to the mountains, albeit a smaller version (which actually suits my fear of heights much better anyways!). I spent a few days in Asheville and Black Mountain, NC, where I had some performance testing done at Asheville Velosports, moutain biked at experimental-forest Bent Creek (man did I hit the deck hard!), and did 3 fun training rides with teammies! By the end of the weekend, I was very excited for the 2008 race season with my new team and quite ready for a day or two of recovery!

Training

2008-02-03T21:58:00.000-05:00

I was fortunate to be able to meet up with my Coach, Jim, to do some training north of Winston-Salem while he was in NC this month to do some training of his own. Timing was fortuitous, as it was also Jim's Birthday. But not only is he my cycling coach, he has been my cooking mentor for quite some time, too ... so it was a pleasure (and challenge!) to make a great birthday dinner (lamb chops, roasted red potatoes, asparagus) in his honor. It was tons of fun to see and hang out with the gang at the farm and get in some great training!

Great Movie

2008-02-03T21:40:00.001-05:00

I have really enjoyed some of the Cohen Brother's movies - The Man Who Wasn't There and O' Brother Where Art Thou, in particular. Some, though, like Ladykillers and Intolerable Cruelty didn't really seem to me to show the genius of the Cohen Brothers potential.

If you don't like slow-paced, violent or disturbing movies with anti-climactic endings, you might not like this movie. But the character development and casting is fantastic, and the cinematography is delicious. Favorite scenes of mine were those shot in Llewellen's trailer, through the reflection of the old TV screen.

Still reflecting on the holidays ...

2008-02-03T20:49:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I can be a bit slow to get through things this time of year ... blog entries, gift giving, thank-you-note writing, and ... decorating? I didn't get any holiday decorations out this year (that isn't saying much, though, as all that I have fit nicely in a storage chest). But when JNK and I made the obligatory trip to 'off-site' storage (yes, different than the 2 on-site storage units we have) to dig out the Paella cookbook for the Dinner Party, I found my Christmas stash and couldn't help but pull out my favorite Christmas decoration - this great candle. The embossing on the side says:

"Give me something useful like Contentment and wrap it in the comforting Embrace of Family and tie it with a bow woven by Friendship"

Perfect. I've enjoyed burning it ever since - long after most have packed away their holiday cheer. As an aside, I've been enjoying a lot of Mojave 3 lately ... especially the album 'Ask Me Tomorrow'. One of the tracks, 'Candle Song', reminds me of my own Christmas Candle.

I have to give a shout out to my awesome little sis Carrie for her 'gifts that keep on giving' ... my ploy to get her addicted to Starbucks has not only worked, its paying off in spades now that she is a store manager in snowy Erie, PA ... where I have a hunch they sell loads of hot coffee and hot chocolate! This cycling jersey was an fantastic Christmas gift (I love green!) and she recently sent this burr grinder - which, of course, every self-respecting coffee connaisseur uses to grind their beans - and a 1/2 pound of the Starbucks Regalo organic espresso beans. As a long-time fan of Illy, JNK and I were quite impressed with this new bean! I must admit, though, that I'll still resort to the convenience of the Illy pods on weekday mornings when I'm stumbling out of bed and need that quick shot. Yum!

mtb!

2008-01-06T23:30:00.000-05:00

It was a gorgeous 64-degree sunny day here in Charlotte and my first mtb ride since September ... way overdue, by the way - it was so much fun. A few of us from the dinner party group met at Sherman Branch near Mint Hill, NC to ride the trails. It's only on a bike trail that I can think up such quality thoughts as "if single-speed bikes had gears, single-speed riders would definitely ride top-mount-thumb-shifters like these" and actually say that outloud.

One of my favorite things about riding the mtb is that it's OK (almost expected, really) to wear not-so-matchy, not-so-proper cycling gear ... and the more retro the better. Today I pulled out my all-time favorite and first-ever cycling jersey that I bought while working at Bikeworks (Sylvania, OH) in college - I've always loved the colors and it's quite possibly the softest jersey ever. Not sure that it quite qualifies as retro, but it's definitely a blast from my past.

Dinner Party!

2008-01-06T23:26:00.000-05:00

It took me less than 2 weeks to put my new Paella pan to use ...

It was great to have Karyn, Ben, Tom, Melinda, Robin, Chris, Chad, Andrea, Jeanie and Arleigh over for a dinner party to help me try out the new pan and toast to a great 2008 ahead.

1st Sale Purchase of 2008 ...

2008-01-06T23:00:00.000-05:00

Some things are just meant to be ... I had my eye on these boots at Nordstrom's before Christmas (they are very cool - sporty, yet fancy in that euro-chic sorta way), but they didn't have my size. I did, however, receive a generous Nordstrom's giftcard from Ken B over the holidays and decided to pop-in over lunch to see if my size had surfaced ... and voila! Not only did they have them, but they were also well over 1/2 off ... and only cost me 1/2 my gift card! So I did what any self-respecting seasoned shoe-sale-shopper would do: I ordered a second pair in another color (those who know me well will recognize this as a pathaological shopping pattern of mine ...)

Happy New Years

2008-01-06T22:40:00.000-05:00

I had a great New Year's traveling to Charleston, SC with JNK to visit good friend and UK alum Mark (missed you Shannon & Ainsley). It was just my speed to make a nice, healthy dinner for the guys and get to bed at a decent hour! The weather was fabulous - we spent the morning touring and walking along the waterfront.

December 28

2008-01-06T22:13:00.000-05:00

A big welcome to Ellie (Eleanor Margaret Knuth) and congratulations to proud parents and Emily and Dennis -- can't wait for a trip to Columbus, OH to see you you guys and meet Ellie soon! Best wishes!

The Delivery

2008-01-06T21:29:00.000-05:00

John M is a really fun friend. Great to ride with and talk to -- and is the benefactor of my much adored Assoc Airblock bibtights. About a month ago, he sends this book to the apartment:

As it turned out, John M had test-drove a 911 Turbo and, while still being in love with the '96 911 993, just couldn't get the Turbo off his mind and was feeling compelled to upgrade. The obvious problem for John M was, then, what to do with the normally-aspirated 911? JNK to the rescue. Upon delivery of the Turbo from the Windy City to the Queen City of the Midwest, a blockbuster deal was struck and the Queen City of the South's auto census became +1:

What do I really think about the 911 acquisition? Two things: first, I'm quite glad I learned to drive a car on a manual, and secondly, that's a lot of guilt-free spa treatments!

Christmas! The Recap ... (finally)

2008-01-06T19:55:00.000-05:00

The Christmas trip was tons of fun. As previously mentioned, I left from the Queen City of the South (Charlotte) for a short work trip in the Steel City (Pittsburgh), then headed to the Queen City of the Midwest (Cincinnati) for a Fri-Sun visit with Cinci friends. Then, on Sunday, JNK and I headed to the Fountain City (Bryan, OH) for a family holiday party. I was thrilled to make this event, as I was able to see lots of wonderful extended family that I didn't get the chance to see during my Thanksgiving travels. Then it was onward to my parents in the Heart of the Irish Hills (Brooklyn, MI) to celebrate Christmas with my parents and sisters through Christmas Eve. Headed to the Glass City (Toledo, OH) for the fab perennial Christmas Eve party @ Mark+Patty's; then Christmas day OH Turnpike back west to grandma's in Blakeslee, OH for Christmas lunch then hopped back on the Turnpike east to make it to Christmas dinner in Rossford, OH - founded by Edward Ford of the Libbey-Owens-Ford Glass Company (ever see the Laverne & Shirley-type cursive letter 'L' on the bottom of your glasswear?). After days and days and days of great reunions with family, way too many presents and way too much food, JNK and I journeyed back to the Queen City of the Midwest to stay over at our good friends, the Gatch's and have a good bike ride with John G. Then a funny thing happened to keep us in Cinci for a couple of extra days ....

An NKY ride, a 911 test drvie, a new baby and visits with friends

2007-12-23T20:40:00.000-05:00

We were apparently successful at bringing some warm SE weather to Cincinnati with us as it was 55 degrees + on Saturday. I was eager to ride with Cinci friend and former training partner Melissa - and it was a great day for long, easy miles. So we met up with a small group of cycling friends at Lunken terminal for a 4.5-hour ride in northern KY. I was assured the ride would be tame enough, as the group was governed by John G on a fixed gear (42x15?). Here's a funny thing that I've noticed about moving away from places and returning to ride: it takes coming back to discover a great new route. We did a new-to-me ride to the Ryland Heights, KY area, including the Lambs Ferry loop - a very cool stair-stepping, switch-backy climb and descent with max grades of about 18%. So good to spend time chatting with Melissa, Drew, John M (thx for gifting to me the Assos tights!) and new-dad Paul. Here's a shot of Melissa and I at about 3hrs - yes, I'm having my second breakfast at that point:

After the ride and a little recovery, we went to John M's for a test drive of his on-the-market 911 (so fun), visited Paul & Peggy with new arrival Katarina (Congrats!), had dinner with Jeff & Kristin and drinks with Jim and Maria - such a fun, full day in Cincinnati.

Onward to the Other Queen City

2007-12-23T12:37:00.000-05:00

On Friday, I made the cross-Ohio trip from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati, where I would return the rental car and meet JNK, Bonnie and Tommy for dinner at Ruthai's Thai Kitchen on Mt. Lookout Square - a favorite Cincinnati restaurant within walking distance of 656 Delta. Speaking of, it was bittersweet to drive by the old house - the new owner hasn't bothered to take down the once-lush Boston Ferns hanging on the porch, which is shame since they are now undoubtedly dead.

It was great to catch up with Bonnie and Tommy for dinner, even if sitting tatami-style for the long dinner became a bit uncomfortable -- but I loved the sushi tuna & avocado salad that I have yet to find at any other Thai restaurant. Bonnie, we hope that your family holiday plans come together (better late than never!) and Tommy, we'll keep you posted on the January dinner party in Charlotte!

Pittsburgh, the Steel City

2007-12-23T12:05:00.001-05:00

It was a great, successful trip to Pittsburgh. Travel to PA in December can really be a mixed bag weather-wise, but on this trip, it was wonderfully mild. I stayed in Oakland and enjoyed an early morning hike at the nearby Schenley Park - with a gorgeous view of the valley, rivers and skyline of downtown. A highlight of trip was getting dinner from one of my favorite local restaurants - Alla Famiglia - in the Southside/Mt. Washington area. I owe a big thanks to business colleague Steve E. for sharing this Pittsburgh gem with me.

"It takes two to speak the truth - one to speak and another to hear." Thoreau

2007-12-23T11:12:00.000-05:00

I listen to music when traveling more than at any other time. It's a familiar comfort that keeps me company and gives me pause for reflection. Here's my faves playlist for this trip:

Girlfriend - Matthew Sweet from Girlfriend

Such Great Heights - Postal Service from Give Up

Hands - The Raconteurs from Broken Boy Soldiers

California Stars - Billy Bragg & Wilco from Mermaid Avenue

Venus - Air from Talkie Walkie

Stone on the Water - Badly Drawn Boy from The Hour of the Bewilderbeast

Pretty (Ugly Before) - Elliott Smith from From a Basement on the Hill

Blue Veins - The Raconteurs from Broken Boy Soldiers

What is the Light? - The Flaming Lips from The Soft Bulletin

A Fond Farewell - Elliott Smith from From a Basement on the Hill

The Shining - Badly Drawn Boy from The Hour of the Bewilderbeast

All I Need - Radiohead from In Rainbows

The Scientist - Coldplay from A Rush of Blood from the Head

The World can Wait - Over The Rhine from Films for Radio

Goodbye (This is not Goodbye) - Over The Rhine from Films for Radio

Jolene - The White Stripes from Blackpool Deluxe

Warning Sign - Coldplay from A Rush of Blood from the Head

I Will Sing You Songs - My Morning Jacket from It Still Moves

A Murder of One - Counting Crows from August & Everything After

A Feast of Friends - The Doors from An American Prayer, Scattered Sun

How to Fight Loneliness - Wilco from Summer Teeth

Guess I'm doing Fine - Beck from Sea Change

The Other Queen City

2007-12-23T10:27:00.001-05:00

My holiday travels are in full swing. It began with a trip, first, to PA on Wednesday for a couple of days of work. I fly out of CLT often and always enjoy seeing this sculpture - not bad artwork for an airport! It is symbolic of Queen Charlotte, as Charlotte is the Queen City. When I moved to Charlotte this summer, I had a couple of moments of sheer confusion: Why would someone from NC order catering services from a Cincinnati bakery? Why would an obscure Cincinnati hobby shop have a second location in Charlotte? Having just moved from Cincinnati, the Queen City, I was surprised to learn that Charlotte, too, was regarded the Queen City. In the case of Cincinnati, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow referred to the city as the Queen of the West; in the case of Charlotte, the city was named in honor of the wife of King George III of England.

Petition for Parity in Cycling

2007-12-16T09:28:00.000-05:00

Please show your support of the advancement of women's cycling by signing this petition. Thanks!

Commercialism at its best

2007-12-16T08:38:00.000-05:00

I'm halfway through my stack of holiday shopping propaganda. It's a good thing that I've already started my Christmas shopping - I think it would be long after the holiday by the time I got through them all. Despite what a waste I think junk mail is in general, admittedly I do have fun flipping through the catalogs to see the latest trends in fashion and home decor ... but don't be fooled. These seasonal editions are shamelessly laced with guilt-laden rhetoric, such as: "Give the gift that shows her how much you love her"; "Show him how much you care"; "Give them warmth and love". Disgusting. I find that the more I look through the less inspired I am to buy anything at all.

Paradise Lost

2007-12-16T08:32:00.000-05:00

After a week of record-high temps of 76-82 degrees and full-sun in Charlotte, winter, or fall atleast, is finally settling in. Yesterday was 45 with light misting rain and this morning a gray, windy 38. This is excellent training for my travel to PA, OH and MI next week!

More photos from Thanksgiving & Engagement Party

2007-12-14T18:08:00.000-05:00

It was so great to see our Toledo friends and family over the Thanksgiving holiday and the engagement party hosted by the Koury's (Thank You!)! I loved seeing everyone: my parents, the Kourys - especially all the kids - and all of the wonderful friends of the Kourys! Good Cincinnati friends Todd and Christie and Co. made the 4-hour trip from NKY to party with us - and to introduce beautiful baby Madison to us - thank you and congratulations!! I also loved catching up with Will, one of my best UT friends. (More photos to come, I think ... Mark K??)

'B' is for BMW, Bianchi, bikes, balmy weather, and buddies ... but certainly not Boston

2007-12-11T22:21:00.000-05:00

And this concludes the tour of NC via NCCX

2007-12-11T22:05:00.001-05:00

At least have fun doing it ...

2007-12-11T21:59:00.001-05:00

There's no party like an office party ...

2007-12-09T08:05:00.000-05:00

Good Soup

2007-12-09T07:47:00.000-05:00

This time of year on of my very favorite recipes to make is this roasted squash soup. It is very simple (time and patience is needed for chopping up the squash, though!) and soooo healthy and I make a big enough batch to last a good week. There have been several times where I've stopped short of the puree and enjoyed it as a roasted vegetable dish instead of soup. The cilantro-walnut pesto is definitely worth the extra effort and easy to do while the squash is roasting. I typically choose butternut squash because it seems the easiest to work with (though I have picked up a variety of winter squashes at the farmers' market in the past and enjoyed the mix), always double the garlic requirement (for keeping the vampires away, of course) and this week I added a few leeks.

"There is a saying about soups in Southern Italy which translates to: Soup does seven things. It relieves your hunger, quenches your thirst, fills your stomach, cleans your teeth, makes you sleep, helps you digest and colors your cheeks. "

Movie Review

2007-12-06T18:01:00.001-05:00

On Tuesday night, JNK and I went to an advanced screening of "The Golden Compass" ... it was part of a dinner-and-movie social group that JNK found out about and the free movie was showing at the within-walking-distance theatre. This was a best-intentions situation to try to further integrate into the Charlotte social scene ... unfortunately (and perhaps it should have been predictable?) it wasn't so much the young, culturally-sophisticated movie intellectual as much as a bunch of the comic-book-guy-from-the-Simpsons types. The demographic might have been influenced by the film choice - a fantasy film about a parallel universe. Very fun and entertaining if you enjoy the Lord of the Rings/Pans Labyrinth-type movies -- just be sure to check your expectations at the door if you are looking for epic or if you require a solid movie ending (this one is clearly set up for a sequel, but didn't leave me caring to continue on with the silly journey). For the record, we opted out of dinner with the group.

Clarks Summit, PA

2007-12-06T17:50:00.000-05:00

Here's a great restaurant find if you're ever in the Clarks Summit, PA area - The State Street Grill. It's a fantastic local joint with great food and live music. My co-worker Beth and I LOVE eating there when we travel. Also check out the fantastic sushi at Kyoto - incredible fish at a great price.

(Yes, Clarks Summit is just north of Scranton; yes, the same Scranton of The Office; no, I don't watch the show regularly....)

Out of Control

2007-12-06T17:32:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I am a closet control freak, sometimes a self-proclaimed-shout-it-from-the-rooftops control freak. Either way, I often struggle to have the patience that's needed to see how things play out, yet always seem to find myself enjoying the realities that are revealed along the way -- which are often serendipitous and better than what I can design for myself by my own control. Here are a few quotes I've recently discovered on the subject:

“Control is never achieved when sought after directly. It is the surprising outcome of letting go.” James Arthur Ray

“To approach the stranger is to invite the unexpected, release a new force, let the genie out of the bottle. It is to start a new train of events that is beyond your control...” T.S. Elliot

“To get up each morning with the resolve to be happy... is to set our own conditions to the events of each day. To do this is to condition circumstances instead of being conditioned by them.” Ralph Waldo Trine

Riding the barriers isn't always so cool after all

2007-12-02T21:22:00.000-05:00

Thanks to teammie Cara for finding this gem ...

And to Chris Sheehan for this one ...

Onward to Boone, NC ...

2007-12-02T20:51:00.000-05:00

Today's NCCX tour stop was the Hawksnest Crossfest at the Seven Devils Ski Resort. As such, it was plenty hilly ... and there was a high-wind advisory: "...NORTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO BETWEEN 25 AND 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 65 MPH ... THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS..."(weather.com) neither element suiting me particularly well. I finished 4th; congrats to teammie Cara for another victory in the Women's A's!

Loved the trip - fantastic sweeping views of the Pisgah National Forest (home to fabulous MTB trails). Next weekend the tour will conclude with the final CX series race in Cary, NC.

Dobson, NC: The Tour Continues ...

2007-12-01T21:12:00.000-05:00

Fellow Charlotte CX'er Ben Miller and I traveled to the Dobson, NC for the NC State Cyclocross Championship races today ... it was so beautiful there, and the 60+degree temperature was an awesome treat.

Presenting Ben, your 2007 NC Men's CX3 Champion! I was totally envious of his gold USCF metal ... I did win the Wm's B race, but it wasn't a USCF-recognized state championship race, so no gold metal for me. Thanks to Ben for cheering and snapping some photos of my race!

And look who's back in action! So fun to see Mark Heckman again - welcome back!

Scenes from Germanton, NC CX

2007-11-25T22:32:00.000-05:00

My posse showed pretty well today: Cara took 1st in the Women's A race, JNK 5th in the Men's B race, Andy a super-impressive 1st in the Masters' and 4th in the Men's A (because 1 race isn't enough!), and yours truly 1st in the Women's B. For those keeping track of my collection of pink prizes for the season, I scored a pair of rather strange yet cute pink sunglasses. The flyer for the race called it a 'Swiss-Style Grass Course' and 'The Potato Patch' (whatever that means) ... here are some photos proving the course was as hilly as I've complained that it was:

Why I wear boots to Thanksgiving dinner ...

2007-11-24T13:55:00.000-05:00

We got a call from a neighbor during Thanksgiving dinner at my Grandmother’s in NW OH that my uncle’s cows had escaped the barn and were wandering free. As the farm is just up the road, we all took a (much needed) break from the feast and caravanned to the farm to heard the cattle. There is really no science to this and these less-than-brilliant animals are not very cooperative. They were, however, quite afraid of me and didn’t dare go into the road that I guarded.

Sister Time

2007-11-24T13:39:00.000-05:00

Between trips to eastern PA and central MI, I spent the weekend in northeast OH with my sister Carrie. Yummy Indian food Saturday night, yummy Thai food Monday … I loved the company; we had a great time. Lots of good coffee at my sister’s Starbucks, too! Lucky for me, the weather was unseasonably warm for NE OH and I had a couple of great rides. Oh! And Carrie and I had our inaugural Thanksgiving sister-gift exchange (yes, you read that correctly) – she gave me these must-have-and-can’t-wait-until-Christmas-very cute-striped-espresso-cups and a pound of Christmas Blend … I gave her a Christmas-red Coach wallet.

So Thankful.

11/17 Newark, OH: The CX race that wasn't

2007-11-24T13:30:00.000-05:00

Uggh. I had a terrible mechanical on my last warm-up lap on the way to the start line of the Newark, OH CX race last Saturday. A trashed rear derailleur, broken derailleur hanger and many broken spokes on the sweetest race wheels I’ve ever ridden … which I should mention were borrowed wheels (so sorry, JB) … this is why I cannot have nice things. There are few things more anti-climactic than getting so worked-up to race and moments before the start then just not starting.

Photos!

2007-11-24T13:09:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Cara and Andy for sending photos from the Sandhills CX race!

Keeping good company ...

2007-11-13T21:37:00.000-05:00

Let me just start this post by saying that I do not claim to be the least bit of a 'car person'.

That being said, last night I was feeling pretty crabby from working late, needing dinner and knowing I still had the daunting task of packing for 13-straight-days of travel. But as I walked out to the parking garage, my mood was lifted when I saw this cool vintage Porsche parked next to my car ... although I'm not a car fanatic, this is one of my favorite Porche models/body styles - and I especially like the hot red racing stripes. It's good to know my car is keeping such good company.

Southern Pines, NC

2007-11-12T13:12:00.000-05:00

Southern Pines was this weekend's NC tour stop - and I must say the area is quite lovely. Much to my father's chagrin, I'm sure, I am not a golf or golf course fan, so that very significant element of the area was completely lost on me. It was a very scenic drive, from what I saw, but then again, I was napping quite a bit in the back seat ...

I did, however, enjoy myself at the cyclocross race held on the Sandhills Community College campus. 'Sandhills' is a very appropriate name as there was a huge sand run-up and some sketchy deep-sand descents and turns. I learned a valuable lesson yesterday -- to give myself the chance to learn to like a course before getting all bent out of shape about it. On my first practice lap, I was absolutely incredulous - downright annoyed, in fact ... hating the deep sandy sections, which happened to account for about 40% of the course. But I forced myself to do a couple more pre-race laps - and with the help of riding them with my oh-so-technically-savvy teammate Cara - found myself loosening up and even having fun (!) in the sand. By the first lap of my race, I wasn't the least bit daunted by the deep sections.

The hill was a completely different story. I don't go up them fast riding, and I certainly don't go up sandy hills fast 'running' (if you can call it that) and carrying my bike (which happens to be rather light for a cx bike). Uggh. For the second time in as many weeks, the hill was my demise and I finished second. I need to: a.) get better fitness, b.) get faster, c.) lose weight ... all intricately intertwined, I know, and I am working diligently.

I'll definitely post some photos if/when I come across any (yours truly forgot about a digital camera's battery to need charging and hasn't bothered to do so for weeks) ... would love to document that crazy run-up and the very technical 180-degree-off-camber-turn-with-two-barriers-around-a-tree section. You'll be pleased to know that the camera is up and running again for future posts!

Congratulations to co-traveller and fellow Charlottean Ben Miller for winning the Men's B race (and thanks for the yummy mexican lunch!) and to teammy Cara for winning the Women's A's (a double-winner for the weekend!) - Cheers!

Good Morning

2007-11-10T08:59:00.000-05:00

This morning I woke up with Elliott Smith on my mind.

I've really been taken by the postumously-released album From a Basement on the Hill; the entire album is delightfully rich ... just melancholy enough - without being too heavy. So I had a listen first thing while having coffee and a small breakfast and getting dressed for an early ride. Here are some of my favorite tracks:

Coast to Coast * Let's Get Lost * Pretty (Ugly Before) * Don't Go Down * A Fond Farewell * King's Crossing * Twilight * A Passing Feeling * The Last Hour

I Love Starbucks ...

2007-11-09T19:54:00.000-05:00

My little sister Carrie is awesome! She sent me this great package of Starbucks - complete with a travel french press pot - perfect for packing in my suitcase for trips! The Arabian Mocha Sanani Extra Bold is the bomb. But above all, how cute is that red coffee scoop?? I love the star cut-out.
Thanks Carebear!

About the journey ...

2007-11-09T17:24:00.000-05:00

“Too often we are so preoccupied with the destination, we forget the journey”

“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end”

“The soul of a journey is liberty, perfect liberty, to think, feel, do just as one pleases”

Cocktail Party season has begun ... matchy-matchy? ... and toasting to Beth (again!)

2007-11-09T12:31:00.000-05:00

I love going to fundraising events - especially with a group of friends. Beth and I scored the 4 Keith Corp sponsor tickets (Thanks, Mr. Keith!) to a cocktail party/fundraiser (more details later) last night at the very nice Quail Hollow Country Club, with guests JNK and Andy (it was great to meet you, Andy!).

Beth & I did not plan to be matchy-matchy (promise!) - but found it absolutely hilarious when we spotted each other at the event. I am more than slightly embarrassed for the wrinkles in my scarf! Alas, I only had 30min to get ready after working out ... priorities, you know, and yesterday ironing just wasn't one of them.

Great food -- lucky for us, M:5 Modern Mediteranean (I loved their yummy braised lamb w/gnocchi) and Morton's Steak House (juicy beef tenderloin) catered the event.

AND it was a great time to toast congratulations to Beth for Closing on her condo yesterday! Cheers!

Goodbye, Beth!

2007-11-06T21:31:00.000-05:00

BETH is one of my very favorite co-workers and neighbors -- tonight we got together at Dean & Deluca for a pre-farewell .... Beth is leaving 'the resort' and moving into her new, very swank, high-rise luxury condo in uptown (so jealous!). She assured me that she'd be back to hang out poolside with me again in the Spring .... but I'm thinking her rooftop pool might be much more fun! Beth, congrats on your new place - you're gonna love the uptown life!

D E T E R M I N A T I O N

2007-11-06T17:23:00.000-05:00

It's nearly winter and another item on my 'things to find upon moving to Charlotte' list is a workout facility. It's actually a huge pain to find a gym that's a good fit - location, membership fees, volume of members - lots to consider. For me, finding a gym that's more body-building vs. look-good-on-the-elliptical-machine-at-all-costs, not too busy and within riding distance is key. So, I narrowed my search down to 3 finalists. In the end, I settled for the one with the most mirrors and classiest artwork:

Lenoir, NC

2007-11-05T07:02:00.000-05:00

I have to give it up for Evie, the winner of the Women's B cyclocross race yesterday, for a great race. She definitely exhibited far superior trail riding skills and fitness than I and was neither as slow up the dreadful climb nor as chicken on the gravel-switchbacky descent as I ... a well-deserved win.

I finished second with a bag full of cool schwag (like sassy pink arm-warmers & socks from DeFeet and a big bottle of Duvel!) and a head full of what-if-I-would've and if-only-I-could've's ... Hmmm. At the end of the day, 2nd just isn't as fun as 1st ... but it was a gorgeous day and I was ultimately gratefully to have the time on my bike.

Here are some photos from the day ... first corner out of the start, the same corner on the second lap, and then post-race fun with 3rd-place womens-A finisher and very cool teammate Cara.

6 hours later ...

2007-11-03T22:15:00.000-04:00

This is what 6 hours on the mountain bike looks like. Fun, huh?
Race finish temp: 70 degrees. MUCH better.
Delicious wassail and cider doughnuts at the Windy Hil Orchard!

The clock is ticking ...

2007-11-03T09:38:00.000-04:00

40 degrees. That is the race-start temperature. (Let me just take this opportunity to mention that when considering my move to NC, I weighed heavily the fact that the SE is noticibly warmer than the midwest ... as such, I certainly hope that my expectations are not found to be misfounded by temperatures much colder than this throughout the winter. But enough about me.) The morning started early with rich espressos and a pot of stick-to-your-ribs steel-cut oats doctored-up with brown sugar, peanut butter and walnuts. I packed up the race waterbottles and food -- which included JNK's preference of what he terms 'the belgian powerbar', or ham sandwich. I am not kidding. So I made these little 3-4 bite sandwiches with imported proscutto (pretty fancy for a bike race, I know - but its the only ham that was already in the fridge) on wheat pita. They're packaged nicely for the musette (a cycling feed bag) handup which will also include a plain waterbottle, and energy drink and a GU. We'll see when and if JNK accepts any of the goodies.

The race was started Lemans-style (the bikes were staged in a neutral location and the riders ran from the start to find and mount their bikes) ... truely mayhem, see photo. Also - check out JNK's spiffy new bike - he's finally upgraded from the 14-yr-old fully-rigid Klein.

It's only 6 hours ...

2007-11-02T13:51:00.000-04:00

Here are some photos of JNK at his last cyclocross race. He is infinitely more photogenic on the bike than I. Another difference? He does 6-hour races, I do 30-minute races. I did do a 6-hour road bike ride a couple of years ago - it was one of those I'm-only-supposed-to-be-out-for-4.5-hrs-training rides ... but I was bamboozled by the group I was with and endured the trauma of being 15-degrees under-dressed, under-nourished and riding with others far my superior. It took me weeks to get myself back together. I am not exaggerating.

So tomorrow JNK is doing the 'Tree Shaker' 6-hour Mountain Bike Race in Fort Mill, SC (only about 20 min south of Charlotte). I've agreed to go and give him 'support'. This includes, but is not limited to, the occasional cheering and handing up food and waterbottles, as needed (I will not be in cheerleading garb, however). The really funny thing to me about this is that JNK is notorious for never eating or drinking on the bike - regardless of intensity or duration. We'll see if he accepts any offerings tomorrow... I will be on standby, just in case. I've been considering, though, what to entertain myself with between laps ... here are some options I've come up with:

- document the event for a blogpost (duh!)

- respond to about a million emails that I've been terribly negligent with

- meet new people!

- plan my next work trip

- read a bit from my current book allotment

- manage my itunes library/make playlists

- write notes to a few friends with significant recent events

- get a training ride in

- plan a yummy Sunday night dinner menu

Hopefully there will be time left in the day (and willingness!) to swing by the Windy Hill Orchard and Cider Mill nearby for a mug of cider and, if I have a super-good training ride, a hot apple cider doughnut ... mmmm ....

On the road again ...

2007-11-01T21:23:00.001-04:00

I love the travel component of my work – it’s such a great way to see and experience new places I otherwise wouldn’t encounter. Throughout eastern PA, I find the small towns, topography and Americana so enjoyable … and this time of year it is absolutely gorgeous.
Yesterday I ordered my lunch to-go and took it to this National Historic site in Pike County.

I love historical landmarks – I can really get caught up in them, as they are often so amusingly random and obscure. This whole idea that there is a registry of national landmarks boggles my mind – I mean, they are ubiquitous and the criteria seems awfully broad based on some of the things that I see. I often wonder what sites, if any, are ‘denied’ by the ‘National Historic Registry Committee’ - or whatever it must be – a process and authoritative body that is equally as intriguing to me (can’t you just imagine those riveting roundtable debates?).

So here are some photos of Gifford Pinchot’s ‘Grey Towers’. He was apparently quite a conservationist – with beautifully planted grounds to prove it. His house is quite impressive, too – nevermind the obvious ‘how many more trees might he have planted had he not lived so lavishly …’. All cynicism aside, though, it is a marvelous home with incredible views, remarkable tree-lined lanes and really great outdoor living spaces – all very favorite things of mine.

Happy Halloween ...bambini! ...& Happy Birthday

2007-10-31T07:56:00.000-04:00

Halloween is a very strange day for me ... its specifically associated with trick-or-treat night when I was 5 years old (dressed as Strawberry Shortcake, who else?) and being hit by a car. It was absolutely my fault. I must have thought that the 'look-both-ways-before-crossing-the-street' rule didn't apply to holidays, and I was no more patient then than I am now. The driver also didn't get the rule-change memo and Strawberry Shortcake landed in the hospital for a couple of weeks with a broken femur in traction and and a couple of months in a not-so-hot-when-you're-5 body cast. The cool part? My dad made this sweet body-sized skateboard for me surf around the house (... perhaps when he reads this he'll scan and email a photo I can post ... hint-hint). Dad - I'm really sorry you had to watch it all happen. I've since been known by some folks in my hometown as the-girl-who-was-hit-by-the-car-on-Halloween-night ... not exactly the 15-minutes of fame we all aspire for. But Halloween does remind me of how lucky I was - and am. We also like to joke in my family that it takes me being run over by a car to break a bone, despite all of the falls, crashes and collisions I've endured in various sports ... knock on wood, this has certainly been the case. So keep an eye out for those over-zealous trick-or-treaters if you're out tonight ...

Wow - my family and friends are certainly doing their part to ensure our society's positive population growth ... congratulations and welcome to:

Julie & Brett's 'Benjamin' (8/22)
Danielle & John's 'Matthew Brooks' (9/23)
Bill & Haley's 'Chloe Elizabeth' (9/27)
Josh & Gretchen's 'Jack Killian' (10/18)
Todd & Christie's 'Madison Lynn' (10/21)
Nate & Christa's 'Alexander Robert' (10/23)

Can't wait to meet all the new little people! And there's no doubt that Carol K's 'Letter Perfect' business will be in high gear supplying all the great enbroidered Turtle Fur fleece blankets for all - my very favorite baby gift to give.

A big Happy Birthday to my little sis Andrea - hope you have a good one!
& Happy Anniversary to Christie & Todd - you guys are awesome - miss and love you very much!!

Cheers!

I'll never forget my first ...

2007-10-29T19:35:00.000-04:00

Yes, I actually had to take a picture of the result postings to believe it and have proof. Not only was yesterday my first cyclocross win, it was my first cycling win, period! So it is a pretty big deal for me. As a matter of fact, I was kind of in disbelief...mostly because it was an odd start with both the Women's A and B races starting together. The A's were to go 45 minutes, the B's only 30 (I'm a B ... see post below i.e., just started this stuff), but we all started at the line together. Combined, there were 30+ women. My startline self-talking-to (crazy, I know) went a little something like this: " ... just forget that there's multiple races here ... who cares ... do your 30 min as hard as you can and don't concede anything ... get the best start you possibly can ... and get into the top 5 by the first corner at all costs ... then, don't concede anything to anyone ... "

I did have a good start - by design (thanks to Andy Applegate @ Asheville Velosports for drilling this into us at the camp). Based on my (very) limited experience, I can't believe that there is any other single more important thing in a cross race than your start. I got to the first corner in 3rd position and passed #2 after a few corners. #1 and I toggled back and forth a few times on the 2nd lap, and I finished my 3rd lap (and therefore the end of my race) a few bike lengths behind #1, who went on to win the A's, two laps later. I really was cooked, though ... not sure I would have had the goods to hold position #2 for another two laps had I raced with the A's ... my fitness just isn't very deep yet. Nonetheless, I'm thankful for the good start, the win and the schwag that ensued.

Who needs a cash payout when you can win these sweet victory flipflops??

I absolutely love them. I will definitely be sporting these pool-side come springtime ... and maybe to a few races. Other goodies included a very cool gold cyclocross medalion (which I may very well attach to a gold chain and wear around) and a very strange hair accessory that I refuse to wear. Ever. Well, unless I dress for an 80's party, that it is -- then I would dig it.

I owe my good result to my very cool Specialized tricross with the best dialed-in fit by Wobble-naught fit doctor Jim Baldesare (even though he won't give me stickers to put on my bike), Tim and the NC CX crew who put on the 'cross clinic at this same venue a few weeks ago (giving me a heads-up on the course), JNK for lending his cx wheels so I could have wheels in the pit and peace-o-mind, and my coach JB for making sure my head was screwed on straight for the race!

The 323i has grown on me over the last couple of months. It's a great go-to-the-races car. Here you can see both my road (driver side) and 'cross bike (passenger side). The best thing about the car? The heated seats, for sure ... I believe its the best pre- and post-race therapy you can give your legs. No matter how hot out it is, I love having the heat on my legs while driving -- even if that means I have to crank up the AC. I also need to give props to John G of The Two Johns Cycling Podcast for gifting the sweet Team Sparkasse pro-issue bag to me ... and thanks to the other John for acquiescing.

Now, I know what you are thinking: What is the deal with the super-huge race number?? I'm advocating for women-specific race number sizing ... because this is rediculous. It's practically 8.5 x 11 .... we might as well pin the New York Times to our backs. I'll bet if you look closely enough you can pick it up on Google satellite imagery. Last week I tried the trick of folding over the 'promo' lines along the top and bottom and pinning on just the number - very svelte - and did I ever get the business at the start line ... little did the official know it only fired me up that much more ...

This was my favorite feature of the course ... uphill barriers. The great thing was that the barriers were mountable - more like steps, really - so I just ran up them like steps instead of trying to jump over them. No, I didn't bunny-hop them like the guy in the first photo ... not yet, at least.

Found it!

2007-10-28T21:25:00.001-04:00

I love indian food...it's a regular in my ethnic rotation with thai and sushi. I've eaten at lots of indian restaurants - all the Taj Mahals, Jewels of India, Babas and Kashmirs you can imagine. In the last couple of years, though, I've gravitated towards mondern and fusion indian restaurants whose offerings seem to be much more simple, fresh and healthy. I love the distinctive indian spices, but can do without all of the sauces made with heavy cream and ghee. And so gone are the days of the indian food coma ...

My favorite indian restaurant in Cincinnati is Cumin - a modern indian fusion restaurant. Just fabulous -- both in atmosphere (uber hip) and food (high quality). So, when moving to Charlotte, "find replacement modern indian restaurant" was definitely on my list of things to do and was thrilled to find and try Copper - modern indian restaurant - in Charlotte's Dillworth neighborhood. I am pleased to say that it is a fine replacement for Cumin! Copper does have some standard indian fare: very good garlic naan -- delicate, not doughy and not too buttery -- and yummy mango lassies (not sure of the plural sp? of lassi ...). I had a delicious slow-broiled salmon (unusual for an indian restaurant - and no points for guessing that I would order the salmon if its on any menu!) in a pureed spiced spinach with a paneer side. And the restaurant is in a really cool house will a great al fresco dining patio. I'll be going back quite soon ...

A good read ...

2007-10-24T22:10:00.000-04:00

Formally studying English Literature for 6 years ruined me.
The literary academia modus operandi is to completely devour as many rich, complex and significant works in as little time as possible. For example, I remember being assigned to F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby' one week and Hemingway's 'The Sun Also Rises' the next, with a complete comparative essay on the two works and similarities/dissimilarities of the authors and their influences due the third week. I was capable, for sure, of plowing through texts and and cranking out essays ... but the thought always lingered on that I wished I had more time to really sink my teeth into the works - to really get to know the nuances and idiosyncrasies of the author, the character development and, most intruiging to me, all of the little clues of the time period and culture that the author had experienced and assimilated in his or her life. I guess that's the purpose of post-graduate studies ... and I, sometimes regrettably, opted out of that.

The result, however, is that now I can't help but take everything I read so seriously -- wondering about the background of the author, their intent, their influences. What is the message they are trying to send? Is it a gift of awareness to the reader that allows one to think outside of their own paradigm and thus sense liberation or compassion or fear? Or is it a facade of purposeful confusion and paradoxical rhetoric? I hold myself very accountable as a reader to these things - I was trained to do this - to make sure I'm getting out of the work what it is that I believe the author intended, but to also sense the potential limitations of their ability to reach and engage the reader and see their career's progression ... those who follow music and singer's careers can relate to this. As a result, for me, reading is often more work than pleasure - but always enriching, nonetheless. (And hence, I don't play nice in book clubs!)

Now I embrace the luxury of taking my time to digest a book - regardless of it's deemed literary importance - as methodically as I would like. Gone are my childhood days of reading "Superfudge" cover-to-cover, over and over again on Saturday afternoons. Now, at any given time, I have several books going at once ... enjoying just a few pages at a time to their fullest extent and giving myself a good amount of time to absorb all the little nuggets of goodness and, possibly most important, to be personally influenced.

I have 6 books on my nightstand now ... some are gifts, some I've had in my library a while with 'good intentions', some are results of self-entertainment-at-the-airport-when-there's-no-other-good-shopping-to-be-found. They are quite diverse, and I'm enjoying each of them just a little bit at a time:
1.) Blink - from the author that brought us a great ah-ha book, The Tipping Point. I'm enjoying reading and thinking through the idea that it's actually OK to believe in your instincts and initial reactions to people/places/things
2.) the curious incident of the dog in the night-time - a fictional work - unusually clever character study - very honest and observant - of a autistic teen
3.) The 21 Most Important Minutes in a Leader's Day - an empowering reminder to work on 'lifting your lids' of limitations - and letting others help you do this
4.) Breakthrough Factor - a good reminder to seek success through a life of values and principles; sage advice from an Olympic runner
5.) Paris to the Moon - A memoir of an American family's attempt at life in Paris -- complete with many anecdotes of the stereotypical and unexpected surprises
6.) The Intellectual Devotional - this concept seems kind of silly - but it's like a 'daily' history lesson ... or the reader's digest version of all of those History Channel documentaries that look so interesting but that I never have the time for. As an example, I just read a quick page about Eratosthenes (who I had never heard of before) ... the ancient Greek who discovered how to measure the circumference of the earth ... part of his solving the puzzle was to hire a professional pacer (who knew?) - who turned out to be shockingly accurate at 'pacing-off' distance compared to today's technological means. Oh yeah - his findings inspired Christopher Columbus's voyage .... so why am I just now discovering Eratosthenes??

And once I've finished these 6? Well, I have a very cool - and epic - winter project planned for myself ... more on that in a later post.

Because there really wasn't enough change in my life ...

2007-10-22T17:57:00.000-04:00

I can't exactly pinpoint it, but at some point this summer my cycling switch was flipped. The last two years I had been perfectly content with 'just rolling along ..." , but then I moved to Charlotte. Really, there were probably lots of things in play ... not the least of which was that I was in a new place with little to no familiarity, and found the bike to be what I knew best - and a great way to learn my way around the area. Group rides became the obvious and easy way to get out and meet new people. And it was there that I heard about the great NC Cyclocross series ...

Now Cyclocross ... that's really not a version of cycling I'd ever considered before. First of all, in previous years when I was focused only on the road bike, I was quite ready and willing to hang up the wheels for a good off-season rest once the fall rolled around. Secondly, it just looked too painful, and frankly, all that obstacle-course stuff freaked me out. So when I started thinking about (possibly) competing again on the road bike in 2008, I had to come to terms with a few things ... a.) I have had no anaerobic fitness for 2 yrs; and b.) I'm not as confident with my bike handling skills as I will require of myself if I am to race again. You can see where this is going ....

So, within a matter of 6 weeks, I've acquired a smokin'-hot cyclocross bike ('08 Specialized Tricross Expert), got it dialed-in with a sweet cyclocross fit (Wobblenaught!), had several 'private' instructional skill-and-drill sessions (2JohnsCyclingPodcast), attended a brief beginners clinic, attended an intense weekend camp (Asheville Velosports), raced two practice and then two legit cyclocross races. Weird how these things develop a life of their own, isn't it?

Along the way I've had the success of meeting a few new great people and seeing some great new-to-me places. I've even been adopted by a new team - The BMW-Bianchi Women's Cycling Team- how fun!

I Love Bamboo

2007-10-22T12:27:00.001-04:00

The move from Cincinnati to Charlotte has been a real process ... a 4-month process, to be exact. So of course I was thrilled last week when JNK closed on 656 Delta and the final moving took place. (Once you are out of college, 4-months is a really long time to be without real furnature.) When I returned Friday evening from the epic 10-day trip, I was so pleased to be welcomed by the potted bamboo that was transplanted from our urban bamboo forest in Cincinnati. Bravo to JNK for jedi-mindtricking the movers to pack and transport across state lines ... which is apparently a no-no. I love bamboo ... it makes a beautiful screen and behaves so gracefully in the wind. And have you noticed the massive bamboo-product market? From very cool floors to fences to kitchenware to clothing ... apparently bamboo is the new hemp. Who knew? Here, the potted bamboo really improves the otherwise stark apartment breezeway. And how cool are those pots? From IKEA - one of my very favorite stores. Unfortunately, being confined to the pots will probably not allow for the growth necessary for doing any Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon-type moves. Now if only I had a pet panda ...

I'm allowed to change my mind ...

2007-10-22T08:12:00.000-04:00

It couldn't have been even a week ago that I was reading a few friends' blogs and remarking to myself that I just could never see myself posting a personal blog. (I'm much too private for this, of course ...) Not sure what changed, but over the weekend it struck me that it was a great idea. A really great idea. Perhaps it was my recent 10-day trip that included work travel to TN and PA with a weekend in OH for moving and cyclocross in between -- and all of the coordination that goes with making such things happen. Or maybe its my recent lack of effectiveness to keep my friends and family up to speed on what's going on in my world. I suspect that its also as simple as needing a place to download all the random thoughts and conversations (yes, with myself) that roll around in my head so that I can make room for more productive material.

So welcome to my blog. You'll notice it's titled My Favorite Things ... this is appropriate because on any given day I acknowledge many things as being favorites - so much so that it would make a person wonder if really I just have two categories of consideration: 1. things I don't like; 2. my favorites. I really don't spend much time thinking about anything in between. And, for the record, one of my favorite things is to rant on what I don't like ...

Speaking of My Favorite Things, I love jazz and John Coltrane is one of my favorite musicians. His take on the over-cooked song made main-stream famous by The Sound of Music is remarkably delicious. I hope you'll take the time to give it a listen.

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=217472707&s=143441