CAN’T LIVE WITH
The rent.
The rat race.
The dating scene.
51^st Street stop on the 6/E trains.
Starbucks and 7-Eleven on every corner.

CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT
The view.

The cute dogs of Chelsea & the West Village.

The Flatiron fitness scene.
Artichoke Pizza
Hudson River Park
Nail salons and bodegas open 24/7 on every corner.

Which leads me to the question that I always come back to in conversation with both myself and others: “Where else would I go??” My family is here, my friends are here, my blog is based here.

I’m exactly a month out from my birthday, a time when I typically come down with a mild to medium case of birthday blues. But, this year, I’m just saying no. Why?

Well, for one thing, I’m a fighter. I was born a preemie, so I pretty much had no choice, beginning with my actual birthday. I embrace the fact that if you look up, you’ll see better. And, if you look down, you’ll find worse. Plus, you never know what happens in other people’s lives behind closed doors. So, I take everything from elevator chit chat to social media posts with a grain of salt. In other words, I try my best to be content with the good things in life that are real, here and now.

So, with a new baby in our family, a hunky boyfriend by my side and having just seen Katy Perry’s amazingly inspirational show at Barclays, I’m riding that ever-elusive happiness wave all the way through to the end.

The women in our family are decidedly Type A.  There’s Carly, with her passion for homework and to-do lists, and her mom/my aunt who’s an immigration lawyer in Washington D.C.  Plus, my mom, who exhibits great style and endless perfectionism when it comes to her job, home design and the curation of our holiday dinner menus.

And me: what I lacked in basic math skills, athleticism derived from my DNA and a high school sweetheart, I’ve more than made up for in after-hours tutoring, torturous high school track practice and many JDates over the years.  The flip side of this, something that we all share, is a fierce loyalty that you just can’t find in other family and friends.  I believe that loving others well is an art form.

And, speaking of art, I also experienced Kara Walker’s “A Subtlety” at Domino in Williamsburg, in partnership with Creative Time.

We were inspired by the height of the sugar factory’s ceilings and the way that its walls of concrete and steel are caked with sugar and peeling from the heat.

And, the sculpture itself: 75 1/2′ tall by 35 1/2′ wide, constructed from blocks of polyester foam and 40 tons of sugar, exploring “power, race, bodies, women, sexuality, slavery, sugar refining, sugar consumption, wealth inequity, and industrial might that uses the human body to get what it needs no matter the cost to life and limb.”  Read the curatorial statement here.

This exhibition, which runs through July 6, is a bittersweet must-see.

What’s inspiring you?

For me, each of my long-term relationships has come hand-in-hand with the rotation of a specific pair of “fat” jeans toward the front of my closet.  They’re old but semi “designer” (Citizens for Humanity) and they never see the light of day when I’m single.  (Here they are and note that I’m also hiding behind my bag, which is a tactic that I’ve frequently employed when madly in love.)

It’s not that I’ve ever stopped working out, entirely, because I haven’t. My boyfriends have always been sporty types who share my love of running, biking, baseball, the beach and walking endlessly around the city.

It’s just that when I’m in a relationship, I tend to completely lose sight of my own routine when it comes to exercise, sleep and eating. Hardcore cycling classes get replaced by a few minutes on the elliptical, salads become steaks and the occasional dessert becomes an evening affair right before bed. And, as happy as I have been with the other person in those relationships, I haven’t been happy with myself. For me, “I” rarely comes before “us.”

Dating in New York can be a full-time job. In fact, it’s almost like playing professional baseball. Where are you in the lineup, did you strike out, knock it out of the park and are you the one consistently saving the game? Performance on a date or in a new relationship can be analyzed in a million ways, there could practically be a score card.

I’ve spent hours over the past year boxing, climbing and kicking major butt on the bike, largely in part to build this blog. I’ve really challenged myself (and changed my body) in order to create something to share with–and inspire–you. And, I’m not giving that back.

And, while I know that I’ll always have to work for my abs, regardless of my relationship status (that’s just my genetics), I also know now that when I do find the right guy, I’ll never again need to look back.

Are you where you want to be? How do you balance work, life, love and your fitness level?

Photos by Mariana Zenteno Photography, Shante Carlan Photography & Lindsay M. Koffler Photography.

Thank you for reading.  Here’s to fitness & fashion in ’14.

From top to bottom:
Boxing shot: Mariana Zenteno Photography
Sidewalk style shot: Shante Carlan Photography
Holiday style shot: Lindsay M. Koffler Photography

With a kaleidoscope of colors, Waking is a can’t-miss.  And, in a neighborhood buzzing with creativity, culture, innovation & artfully-dressed pedestrians, it’s perfectly at home–day and night.

Waking:
Through October 1.
Billboard next to the High Line, 18th Street & 10th Avenue
art.thehighline.org/project/gilbertandgeorge/

I exercised every day: cycling at SoulCycle and Revolve, cross training at Equinox or running in Hudson River Park.

“Ringo” (Japanese for “apple”) is artist Reina Kubota’s personal love letter to the city of New York, on the Hudson River at 66th Street.  Couldn’t agree more.

Post-workout, I cooled off with Ralph’s watermelon/berry combo, from the popular walk-up window near Gramercy Park–one of my favorite spots in the city.

And, I blew out candles on the amazing Birthday Cake from Momofuku Milk Bar surrounded by good friends and family to celebrate mine.  (There was one slice left, it was THAT good!)

Best of all, I spent lots of time strolling around the city with my dog, in comfy tees paired with jean shorts and crazy colorful sundresses.

This is one of my all-time favorite dresses, the “Annette” by Trashy Diva, a keepsake from a special weekend in New Orleans.

Far from exotic, but, out-of-this-world fun.

Back to reality tomorrow!

The rock climbing wall, a highlight of REI’s Adventure Zone in Soho.

Test riding Shimano Click’r CW40 Bike Shoes: a sneaker-meets-cycling shoe. These are great for bike commuters (you can walk normally on the ground once unclipped) and gym goers who want to spin then hit the free weights without a change of shoe.

Artsy at the Mondrian Soho.

Park Avenue totally got down with Crunch. Love him.

See you next Saturday!

1) Run hard at the 100 on 100, my (quickly upcoming) 100-mile relay race through the heart of Vermont on 8/17.
2) Challenge myself in semi-scary, new ways: starting with the Zip Line at Summer Streets this Saturday, it’s time to go big or go home.
3) Beat the “30-day countdown” birthday blues.  I share my big day with Beyoncé, so, this year, I’m trying to rock it with her same sense of confidence and gratitude.

A last look (for now) at the jewels by RAGEN.

That birthday list just keeps getting longer…

On three Saturdays in August, runners, bikers and rollerbladers rule the road from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park (East 72nd Street) on Park Avenue.  This year’s events are August 3, 10 and 17 (mark your calendars now, 7am-1pm), and, in true New York City fashion, the DOT will up the ante with a host of artsy new features and sporty activities:

For the first time ever, the Park Avenue Tunnel will be open to pedestrians via Voice Tunnel, an interactive light and sound installation.  Spotlights within the tunnel will be influenced by the volume of people’s voices as they pass through from 33rd to 40th Streets.

In Soho, there will be a rock climbing wall as part of REI’s Adventure Zone.

And, in Midtown, fitness classes by Reebok and CrossFit demos.

A few of my favorite photos from past Summer Streets…

Remember the container pools, right outside Grand Central?

And, of course, no Summer Streets is complete without a full-on feast at Whole Foods’ City Picnic at 25th Street.  Any opportunity to eat gelato…I partake.

This summer, I’m most excited about the Zip Line downtown at Foley Square.  My last one was exactly five years ago in Mendoza, Argentina with two of my best friends.  It was both kinda crazy and crazy fun.  I’m a little afraid of heights (as you know from here), but, hey, ya only go around once.  Who’s with me?

If you’re in, let’s do it together.  Comment here or email me: strengthandsolenyc@gmail.com.