08 | May | 2013 | nutcaseinpoint

Happy Winesday Wednesday, folks! It’s that time of the week again where I share all the tweets, instagram shots, emails and facebook posts with YOUR recent bevvies. (I now know A TON-too many- preggo people now. You can STILL submit your non-alcoholic drinks!) Let’s get right to it to see if any of this week’s goodies spark your interest!

Keith (<—link to his blog) sent in another goodie! I immediate read his description aloud to Tyler to see if it piqued his interest in throwing together another batch of vino. Keith wrote:

This is the last bottle of the Australian Bush Vine Grenache. It was bottled Nov 2007. It’s been a very reliable go to wine for a variety of purposes. It goes well with lots of food, and can hold its own with all but the spiciest. It’s a bit tart in a blackberry plum sort of way, but lots of other flavour to roll around on your tongue.

If Keith’s pictures haven’t inspired any of you to consider making your own wine, I don’t know what will. OK, maybe tasting it would.

Check out Athena‘s wine corner! How cute! I told her I had just been eyeballing the exact same wine bouquet- it’s so neat!

Monique @burpeestobubbly (twitter) tweeted TWO different #winesdaywednesday pics and I wish I enjoyed BOTH with her! This is seriously a girl after my own heart…work hard, play hard(er). She recently started up her own bloggity blog which you should check out (in case you were wondering, we know each other from working out together in Boston. Lucky her, she still lives and teaches TONS of fitness classes in that great city!

Margies for drinko de mayo 😉

and Sam Summer (hint: if you go to my wedding…this just might be one of the draft selections!)

Chelsea @RunnerGirlChels (twitter) gave me the heads up that she had a really awesome wine to share. She mentioned it was a red blend that she tried at a friend’s BBQ over the weekend. And yes, the name is pure genius. I would buy it just for that.

Sara @Turner_SR (twitter) enjoyed some beer and hockey this weekend! She later followed up with another tweet saying she swapped to twisted iced tea with the hashtag #whateverisinthefridge. Again, my kinda gal.

I remember resorting so some incredibly questionable drinks when I was younger. Like tequila and coke. Or vodka mixed with shaved ice. Now think of what questionable drink you may have had and proceed to shudder. Oy.

Katie @kepotts (twitter) FINALLY got to enjoy a glass of vino after work tonight. If you don’t read this girl’s blog, you should. She’s smart, funny, and a bunch of other positive adjectives. In my opinion. Of course, most of the people who submit WW pics have blogs, but by sharing with you WHICH METHOD of social media they submitted, it will allow you to check them out- in at least ONE way.

(BTW: that’s A by Acacia Chardonnay)

Ja had sake! Oh man, it has been AGES since I’ve had sake! Ja mentioned that it was smooth and creamy and a nice way to end the night. (Just bumped Sake back up on the to-do list! Thanks, Ja!)

Oh my gosh, so apparently I had funny settings on my facebook page, but I JUST noticed that Michael submitted a beer pic way back in the beginning of April! Gah, sorry Michael! But I found it, so now I can share it!

With the pic, he wrote:

Sweet Baby Jesus Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter. Tastes like liquid Reese’s peanut butter cup. 6.5% alchocol, probably 300 calories a glass, and totally ruined the workout I did but it was all worth it

Again, so sorry for overseeing this, Michael! Keep em coming!

Here’s my mama drinkin’ a margie on Cinco de Mayo:

And finally (I hope I didn’t forget anyone else) here’s what I had on tap

An organic Malbec from Argentina. Not too shabby, but definitely a wine to have with food and not alone.

K that’s it folks! Hope to see you all- AND MORE!- next week!

Holy crap you guys. I have a new found love. (And I’m not just taking about this guy:)

I did something for the first time ever last night, and after the 75 minutes, I was over the moon. I. DID. YOGA.

I NEVER wanted to do yoga. I always thought it was crazy and that I wouldn’t have the patience for it. I preferred high-impact, crazy workouts. Only lately have I been feeling the urge to give it a go- not only for a change, but to see how it could affect my body.

I lucked out with Hot Yoga on Crowfoot– not only are they just around the corner form my house, but they have been voted the best yoga studio in Calgary.

After my early morning trip to Target yesterday, I swung by the studio to get more information on rates and class types and speak with them on which class I should do as a yoga virgin. They were super helpful and suggested I try Traditional Hot Yoga first. So I did.

The next TH class was offered at 6pm, so I basically went home and hydrated until class time. I got anxious and nervous and almost backed out. 5:30 rolled around, and I arrived at the studio to pay a new student 7-day trial ($25 for 7 days of use!). There was already about 20/25 people lined up along the corridor waiting to take the same class as me.

This is insane. Already that many people waiting and it’s still 30 minutes before class is scheduled to start? Eek.

Ok, so the doors finally open and BAM it was hot. And I loved it. Being a California native made me a-ok with this heat. Especially in Calgary.

I always think of this image when I remind myself I am a warm-weathered person somehow living in Calgary:

(Source)

I immediately darted to the back corner to lay out my mat. As people were ‘ready’, they were laying down. I had no idea that about 5 minutes of laying down in 108 degree heat would get me so prepped and excited for a workout!

This is how the studio’s website described the TH class:

Traditional Hot Yoga (TH) is a series of twenty-six postures performed in a precise order, in a room heated to 42 °C (108 °F). The postures combined with heat help cleanse the body and warm the muscles. This class systematically works the entire body, concentrating on the essence of every organ, bone, joint, muscle, ligament, tendon, blood vessel, nerve and gland. Incorporating strength, balance, and flexibility, Traditional Hot Yoga teaches students how each pose stimulates the mind and restores and shapes the body. This class is available in a 65, 75 or 90 minute format.

I whispered to the girl next to me asking her if it was going to be hard and she said no. I must be a trusting person, because I took her word for it.

Come to find out, it wasn’t hard at all. There were a ton of challenging positions, but never once did I find myself straining or wishing I was elsewhere. And the instructor was AMAZING. She had such a warm and welcoming presence and fluently instructed each move and the purpose of doing each. She varied from walking the room to demonstrating moves.

The only thing that felt funny about that class was the collective sound of people’s exhales. Seriously, just a weird sound to me.

OH. And I sweat. A LOT. Ghastly amounts. Lovely amounts.

There were some floor exercises towards the end of class that made my lower back a bit uncomfortable, but the combination of those and the heat made me realize AFTER class that the pain was gone. And my posture was better. And I woke up this morning feeling 2 inches taller. (Oh God, 2 more inches?! I’m already a giant!) I EVEN TOLD TYLER LAST NIGHT THAT I FELT GREAT ABOUT MY BODY<——that never happens, people.

Of course, I am now sore as hell. But it’s a good sore. One that makes me excited to jump back into my usual strength and cardio training for today. Only downside to this new found love is the price-tag that comes with it.

I know there are a lot of at-home yoga options, and my gym even offers classes, but neither come close to the hot yoga experience that I had. (Plus, creepy Jen noticed that there were about 30 gals my age in the class, meaning creepy Jen can actually have an opportunity to make friends!!) I seriously can’t wait to start working and making money so I can continue taking classes at this studio.

Namaste