The Next Hundred Pounds

OF TRAVEL, TOURISM, AND TROLLS

It's been a really crazy week! On Saturday, I took my last TRX class and sadly said a last goodbye to all the wonderful women at Ironflower Fitness. The staff gifted me with a goodie bag with a towel, water bottle, and itsy-bitsy tank top (which I actually can get on, but would not wear outside the house, at least not yet).  I will miss them,  and I'll really miss that kickboxing class and the TRX class! I hope I can find something equally cool at my next gig, Princeton.

I am already missing the daily workouts. Between the show and a crazy travel schedule, the only workout I did this week was a whole lot of yardwork --- mowing, pruning, planting, hauling limbs and sacks of debris. You see, I had a few days off between shows, and couldn't resist the opportunity to go home, especially since I'll only be there for about two weeks before the next gig. So I flew in, got a few Dachshund saliva facials, did some errands and yardwork, picked my husband up at the airport, and yesterday morning we got on a plane back to Miami for my last two shows. On Sunday, we start the drive home.

I've decided to make the most of the drive by doing short, intense sets of cardio or strength at each pit stop. So if you see a crazy woman doing burpees and air squats at a rest stop in Mississippi, or taking a couple of laps around one in Louisiana, that might be me. Honk as you drive by. Better yet, stop and join me!

There may not have been much exercise this week, but I've done very well with sticking to my program of no grains and very restricted sugar. It's not an issue when eating at home; the only difficulty I have in staying on program is when eating out in restaurants where you're presented with so many carbalicious choices. There, I just do the best I can to choose veggies, protein, and fruit, and skip bread, rice, potatoes, and all the little extras like croutons. I'm not saying a few French fries haven't found their way into the ol'piehole or that I don't have a meal "off" or two per week, but I'm focusing on filling up the plate with veggies and protein, and letting the grains and desserts be more in the way of "tastes" than full portions. It's working. It's completely satisfying.

Today, some friends and I were big ol' tourists and took an airboat ride in the Everglades. It was magnificent! We saw lots of birds and gators, and it was just really cool to be flying over what looked like a regular field ... except that it was a shallow river full of sawgrass.

We even held a baby alligator named Snappy.

I am almost done with my Florida experience (for now! I sure hope I'll get to come back!) and am happy to be heading back to spend a couple of weeks at home. I have enjoyed both opera houses, both casts, and both shows I've gotten to sing here; and of course, who wouldn't love Florida's beautiful outdoors! All the hiking, biking, and exploring have been amazing. Sarasota and Miami are completely different cities, but there is much to love about both of them. Yes, it's been a good experience here.

But it hasn't been perfect --- what is --- and there was a little incident last night which was really upsetting. It shouldn't be. It's no news that for some people, the Internet is a license to behave like a mannerless moron and to let any idiocy that springs to mind dribble from their fingertips onto the screen; things most of them would never have the moxie to say to your face. And in this case, it's compounded by that strange idea people have that anyone who is in the public eye --- no matter how remotely --- is somehow not a real human being, and is open to any kind of comment or criticism. This sort of thing does not happen to me very often. I'm not a celebrity of any kind in the opera world (I like to think of myself as an in-the-trenches sort of singer, slogging away and having a nice career, but unlikely to ever be famous). Still, it happens that sooner or later, anyone who is in the public eye even a little bit is going to be on the receiving end of uninformed, unsolicited, or simply uncomplimentary commentary from the general public. The internet makes this very easy. In this case, these casually nasty comments were hurtful because they were directed at my appearance. Hit a sensitive spot. Talking about it actually helps me get over it and move on. There is not really anything to be done anyway (it never helps to respond to such people and be dragged down into their dirt) except to recognize it for what it is and turn it around however you can. In my case, I'm getting it off my chest and moving on. And thinking about buying a punching bag, so I can continue those satisfying kickboxing workouts at home ...

ADIEU

It started out as a wonderful day.

I picked Eric up at the Fort Lauderdale airport, and after a delicious lunch at the Rustic Inn Crab House, where we were entertained by the hordes of iguanas patrolling the shipyard across the canal, we headed out to hike at River Bend Park.

It was a gorgeous day, not very hot at all, with a nice breeze blowing. We were greeted by some very handsome peacocks, who were happy to be admired, and would have been happier yet had our admiration extended to the offering of treats.

Sadly, we were treatless, so we apologized and headed off on our hike. It wasn't very strenuous, since everything was flat and well-paved with crushed shells, but it was quite pleasant.

The trees were full of colorful red bromeliads --- a very large one nearly fell on our heads, probably blown off its perch by the strong breeze.

The lake boasted a full complement of Florida birds, including these beautiful  snowy egrets, wood storks, ibises, and even a solitary roseate spoonbill.

The wood stork flees.

A lovely pair of ibises.

The beautiful roseate spoonbill!

We tromped around for about five miles, enjoying the solitude and quiet, as well as the gorgeous jungle-like tropical scenery.

So, it was good exercise, in a lovely spot --- my favorite combination! By the time we reached the car, it was late afternoon, and we weren't quite ready to brave the traffic. We decided to visit another nearby park, Jonathan Dickinson. It's quite different in character, a lot of sand pine scrub,  which may be traditional Florida landscape but quite frankly isn't very pretty. We were ready for a bit of a rest by now, but we did climb to the top of the observation tower, which afforded a nice panoramic view of the park, the Intracoastal Waterway, Jupiter Island, and the ocean.

And it was here that we finally got a phone signal and received a call from Eric's mom in France, telling us that his dad had suffered a massive stroke, was in a coma, and was not expected to wake up.

We headed back to Miami in shock and grief, trying to figure out the best course of action. I had a show Tuesday night, which Eric was planning to attend, and then we were planning a short trip to Key West before my next performance. When we got up on Tuesday, we heard from my mother-in-law again: Daniel had passed away.Tuesday was spent canceling reservations, rearranging plane tickets, and then I had to go to the show. I only told the conductor, who is a friend, and the stage manager ---  if people had been coming up to me offering condolences all night, I never would have been able to get through the performance.  And I got through it.

Wednesday morning I got up early and put Eric on a plane back to Austin; and today he headed off to France.  This is one of the difficult things about my line of work: I can't go. I need to stay here and finish out my contract. And that's what I'm doing. I've done all I can for my husband and mother-in-law for the moment, except to stay here and keep earning my paycheck. It's not pretty but that's the way it is.

Yesterday evening, after pretty much crying all day, I dragged myself to the gym and took Afro Belly Samba class, which turned out to be a perfect mood lifter as well as great cardio. It's hard to be upset when you're wearing a jingly red silk coin belt and shaking everything you've got. Compared to the other slender little ladies in class, I looked more like a football player running tires than an exotic Brazilian dancer shimmying gracefully, but it was fun.

This morning, it was kickboxing and TRX again. Magda has no mercy and we started class with jumping jacks and a run around the block. It's been quite a while since I ran any distance and true to form, I finished last. It's harder to run with extra weight, for sure. But I can keep plodding on. Class was really hard today. It's always tough, but I guess because of the emotional strain I was more tired than usual and also a bigger emotional mess. That's right, more feelings of inadequacy, more embarrassment at being praised for my fat ass being able to do push-ups, and more surreptitious tears. But I did better at fighting it off, and I kept going. I worked harder. I am determined not to eat this grief, not to let it stop me from working out, not to let it be an excuse. And I have done some comfort eating, but I have not pigged out, and I haven't splurged at every meal. It wasn't perfect but it was better than I might have done in the past.

This is a time of great sadness and stress for my family. I will miss my brilliant, funny father-in-law, Daniel. I'll miss his eagerness to try anything new, miss having to babysit him when we toured sites (because he was the absent-minded professor type, and would become absorbed in something, wander off and get lost if he wasn't watched). I'll miss his absolute delight at all things Texan, especially how excited he was to visit the Alamo and the state Capitol and meet a real, live Texas Ranger. He was beside himself on the last trip when we took them to the Texas Ranger museum in Waco. The way he used to talk to himself under his breath as we drove, remarking on exciting things he saw and reading signs out loud in his heavy French accent. "TexAHSS! Rahn-jairs!" (Texas Rangers!) "West-chest-AIR!" (The name of our subdivision ... he never failed to say it when we passed the gates). He remains the only person I have ever heard actually say "Oh-la-la!" and not sound silly, though I much prefer the expression, "Oh la vache!" He ate barbecued ribs with a fork and knife, and it took me a lot of work to dissuade him from this and get him to eat them barbarically with his fingers, like a real Texan. Like a Texahss Rahnjair would. He was an extremely talented and capable man, who did all his own home and car repairs (as my husband does;  he learned from the best) and handmade all the beautiful furniture in his home. He tiled our back porch for us, beautifully. We always had to find small home improvement projects when my in-laws visited, because Daniel needed work to do, and it would be done perfectly. And although he spoke some English, he often misunderstood things I was saying, and had to be corrected by his wife. Who doesn't speak a word of English, but understands it perfectly well from facial expressions and context. I will miss his quaint turn of phrase --- he learned English from British language tapes in World War II --- especially "We are not oblig-ed to ..." .  I will miss the immense amount of pleasure he took in learning things, visiting new places, trying new foods, living life.

Adieu, Daniel. Repose en paix.

EATING HEALTHY IN THE HOSPITAL

I'm happy to say that I've never had to stay overnight in a hospital (knock on wood!). My one surgery was an outpatient procedure that had me home in time for dinner. But this post from PrimalGirl really got me thinking --- what would/should/could someone who is determined to eat healthy do if they were required to spend a few days in the hospital?

Hospital food is a joke ---  literally and figuratively. It's true that many hospitals have, in recent years, made efforts to offer healthier meals to their patients and employees. In researching this post, I came across several menus that sounded pretty decent, nutritionally and gastronomically. For example check out the menus at Bronson Methodist in Kalamazoo, MI. There's plenty of commerical goo on the menu (sugary name brand cereals, margarine instead of real butter, the ubiquitous Jello) , but you can also find healthy, fresh choices like salads, fresh fruit, and grilled chicken.

But my guess is that if you find yourself at a less-wealthy hospital, or a military hospital as PrimalGirl describes, you might be stuck with sad --- nay, tragic ---  Standard American Diet choices, with most selections heavily processed and injected with who knows what --- not healthy, not tasty, and not appealing.

Now, if you're really sick or injured, food is unlikely to be foremost on your mind anyway. But it still shudders me to think about being forced to ingest chicken bouillon which contains no actual chicken (but plenty of salt --- witness the ingredient list on Hormel's salt with chicken flavor chicken bouillon cubes) , Jello (gelatin --- aka collagen extracted from animal bones, connective tissue, and skin; artificial colors and flavors, and lots of sugar), reconstituted juices, eggs made from a powder, and other such delicacies. I mean, the whole idea is to get well, right?

So if you find yourself in a situation where you yourself can't go out and get healthy food, or if you are on a very specific diet (vegan, Paleo, what have you) what can you do?

PrimalGirl has some great suggestions. Here are mine:

1. LIE LIKE A CHEAP RUG  about having  allergies to any foods you wish to avoid (dairy, gluten, soy, etc.) --- but still check the ingredient list on what you're served.

2. Be prepared to compromise on quality; go for the best nutrition you can get at the moment and don't worry too much.

3. Avoid the stuff you wouldn't eat on the outside. Turn down the processed stuff.

4. Request whole foods: whole fruit, plain, unseasoned pieces of meat (you can add your own seasoning to taste), fresh vegetables and salads without seasoning or dressing, whole grains. You may have to request a special meal, but don't be shy.

5. Get a loved one to bring you supplies. They may be able to bring you healthy food from home, but if they can't be there for every meal time, ask for a small cooler where you can easily store yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, low-fat cheese, carrots and hummus, and other healthy snacks for a few days. Ice should be readily available. You can also stockpile peanut butter, apples, and protein bars. In other words, food you could travel with.

Lest this seem like overthinking, or obessessive behavior, or just a little much, my take is this: it takes a tremendous amount of commitment and focus to stick to a healthy eating plan. It's so ridiculously easy to get thrown off. I have a lot of friends who are singers, and are committed to special diets, often out of necessity. Our bodies are our instruments, and we have to take care of them. We travel a lot, and it's often just as hard to find good, healthy food, especially that which fits a restricted diet --- on an airplane or in an airport, in a foreign country, in a host's home, at a fancy dinner party where you're a guest of honor, or in any strange town where you don't have cooking/storage facilities, or reliable transportation.

It would be very easy to throw up your hands and have that fast food cheeseburger just this once. The problem is, not only is it bad-tasting and bad for you, but it makes it easier to give in the next time. And garbage in = garbage out --- poor quality food is not going to help you heal or make you feel better.

So stick to your guns, even when you're down. If nothing else, you'll leave a beautiful corpse!

INSPIRATION AND BURNING

One finds inspiration where one may. I was inspired by this poster from The Rogue Cookie,
whose FaceBook page features funny and inspiring graphics. (I just wish they didn't have to rag on vegetarians; they're a Paleo-friendly site if not downright Paleo. Can't we all just get along)?

I also loved this,  from Cave Girl Eats; I may not espouse the Paleo thing 100% but the basics make a lot of sense and are doable by anybody.

Awesome! We all need reminding, especially when somebody brought doughnuts to work or your mom just made her famous chocolate cake filled with deep-fried Twinkies or you just would kill for a gallon of ice cream and a big spoon and a dark closet to eat it in. I'm going to print these out and carry them around as part of my new little collection of reminders, along with my "Just for Today" mantra.

Saturday was a double workout day: Ballet Barre Burn and TRX Suspension Bands. Wow! My quads are a little cranky but my shoulders and upper back are WEEPING today. Weeping, I tell you.

Barre workouts are one of the latest fitness crazes, but here's a little secret: you don't need a barre to do a lot of them. The back of a chair will do.  The focus is on ballet training moves to tone and strengthen while giving you a long, lean look; but our class moved at such a fast pace that there was plenty of cardio and sweat going on. My only complaint was that there was not sufficient stretching before or after the class. In the future, I'll get there early enough to do some warming up on my own. We did some fast-paced jumping jacks , knee kicks, and a move they call "locamotive" in P90x (it involves putting your hands behind your head and bringing opposite knees to elbows) to warm up, and then it was an hour of leg lifts, squats, calf raises, work with resistance bands (standard stuff like bicep curls, rows, and presses), and a little mat work for core at the end. It was challenging and fun, and a good full-body workout. There are a lot of studios offering barre workouts, and there may even be classes at your local gym. Pure Barre, Barre Fitness, and Barre3 Fitness are a few of the pro studios; and there are also lots of DVDs you can try.

After class, I went next door to a nice little vegetarian cafe which advertised smoothies. It smelled great and several of the instructors from the gym were in there, having snacks. I grabbed a menu and had just started to salivate when I saw the prices --- EIGHT BUCKS for a smoothie? Yikes! No wonder all those girls are so skinny; they can't afford to eat much. I hightailed it out of there and down the street to the Starbucks, where you can get a perfectly decent, healthy smoothie for $4.25.

The second class of the day was TRX Suspension Bands. These are long nylon bands with handles at the end, which attach via D-clip to a beam on the ceiling ,over a door frame (with the door shut), to playground equipment, tree limbs, fences, etc. --- anything that's sturdy enough to hold your body weight. They were originally developed for the Navy Seals and the really cool thing about them is that they use your own body weight for resistance.

I loved this class! It was tough, especially since I was already tired from doing Barre Burn, but I got through it just fine. We started off with more cardio and did plyo breaks throughout the workout. Almost everybody in the class was new to the bands, but they are really easy to figure out and use, especially if you already have some fitness knowledge about good form and so on. It's also very easy to adjust the resistance, by moving closer to or further from the point where they are hanging. We did fast, energetic bicep curls, presses, squats, butt lifts --- every muscle got a workout. I was dripping with sweat and DONE when it was over, but it was terrific and I can't wait to go again.

I love that I can see all the classes online and plot out what I want to take --- especially since I don't know my schedule more than 24 hours in advance. I can go ahead and reserve, and then cancel if it turns out I won't be able to make a class. Tonight, I'm going to take it easy and do yoga --- all that stretching should feel really good.

It's really exciting to have the time and place to concentrate on intensive workouts again for a while. It's only a short time, unfortunately, but it's giving me a great kickstart. Hopefully I'll lose some weight, get toned up, and when I move on to my next singing adventure --- back to beautiful Princeton in June --- I will find something else. Back to P90X and biking, perhaps. However, this does inspire me to want to find a gym with great classes for the times I am home. I thought sadly that I had lost my taste for working out, was sliding permanently back into sloth, but now I realize that not only did I really need a little time off (Christmas break) and a little time to ease back in (Sarasota); but when I do have the time and easy access, I'll do it with gusto. Another lesson --- do what you can, when you can, and forget about the rest.

 

TRAVEL FOOD AND FITNESS

Every time I travel to a new gig, I face a new and unknown living situation. Sometimes it's possible to have a pretty good idea of what I'll be getting --- if I'll be in an apartment or hotel, for example --- but if I'm staying in someone's home, either as a guest or a renter, you never know until you get there what the accommodations will be like. Will there be space to work out, and will it bug your hosts if you do? How far do your kitchen privileges extend?

So, the name of the game is preparation and flexibility. I always bring a few key items that I need for food prep (good knife, my trusty little food processor, sometimes a blender) and workouts (resistance bands, DVDs, yoga mat). And I've developed a scaled-down on-the-road repertoire of menus which involve a few foods that don't take up a lot of space.

It took me a long time to get over the notion that traveling = vacation = laze around and eat whatever I want, damn the consequences. Eventually I realized that this IS my life, not an escape from it, and even though it's harder to be healthy when you're traveling for any number of reasons, if I don't want to end up looking like Jabba the Hut's younger, prettier sister, I have to come to terms with it. Sometimes it's harder than others, such as when the cast wants to hang out after rehearsal, which inevitably leads to a drink or two and a lot of snacking, or when my darling husband is able to join me (because we DO tend to treat that time like a vacation ... working vacations are the only kind we take). 

I had had big plans to use my time in Sarasota to work hard, recover from my Christmas break milaise, and start the scale moving back down. Sarasota was an important milestone to me because it was a photo from the steps of Ca d'Zan, taken on a visit to a friend in the summer of 2007, that helped me realize changes had to be made. I had a sort of fantasy of taking an "after" photo in the same spot.

Well, that didn't happen. I didn't want to see what such a photo would look like right now. I know it's silly, but it would make my backsliding seem more real, possibly more permanent, and I am not willing to let go of the fight. So in a way, I'm in hiding. But while I haven't lost any weight for some time, I did accomplish two important fitness goals while in Sarasota. Number one, I worked out almost every day. I did Power 90 --- nothing as strenuous as P90X,  but still good cardio and strength training --- and biked and hiked quite a bit. Number two, the beautiful atmosphere there and my wonderful experience with my cast and the show helped me in just the way I needed to shake off the final remnants of that debiliating stress episode I'd been dealing with. No doubt the exercise helped, too.

So here I am in Miami, and it's an adjustment. Drivers here are crazy and mean --- I'd be afraid to ride my bike anywhere on the streets. My cast here is friendly and cordial but we don't hang out. No one's going for drinks after rehearsal. I can cook, but have limited space to store food. The nice lady from whom I am renting a room has a beautiful but small kitchen, and I don't think she's used to her guests wanting to do much cooking. I can store food, but she couldn't give me my own shelf in the pantry or fridge, and I just feel inhibited.

Good thing I have the Barbie Gym and my Road Food Repertoire.

There is a great article here about eating right when you're traveling. It's geared towards runners, but it applies very well to opera singers, business travelers, and even vacationers who are serious about not going overboard. Singers have to be fussy about their food just like athletes do --- just like anyone who wants to stay fit does. There are lots of good points and tips in this article: overeating or skipping meals can mess you up; you have to prepare for both transit and time on the ground.

The article recommends high protein snacks like string cheese and hardboiled eggs, peanut butter, hummus and carrots, turkey, granola bars, and trail mix. When I'm on one of my redeye flights for auditions and lessons, I always have 100-calorie packs of almonds or a baggie of homemade trail mix; single-serving packs of peanut butter, and Think Thin bars (which are very high protein and relatively low carb). These travel well and are great if I get stuck and don't want to spend $18 on an airport salad composed of iceberg lettuce and a few coldcuts. I've also found that salad bar salads --- one of those big cardboard boxes from Whole Foods --- keep pretty well outside refrigeration for a couple of hours at least on an airplane. I always stock up at the salad bar (with vegetarian options; unless there's a lot of dairy, they'll stay good longer) before I hit an evening flight, and believe me, I am the envy of my seatmates and many a flight attendant when those plastic-wrapped microwaved cheeseburgers start making the rounds.

When Eric and I drive long distances, we always pack a cooler with treats for picnic stops, rather than stopping at restaurants. We like to get smoked fish, hummus and carrots and fresh broccoli, a small piece of really good cheese to share, and maybe something snacky and crunchy like pretzels. It's become a little ritual we really enjoy.

Once I'm settled into town, I keep my eat-at-home foods pretty basic. It saves money, space, and decision-making.  I also follow the law of "if it ain't in the house, you can't eat it" and try not to bring temptations home with me. If I want a treat, I have to go get it.

Spinach is my miracle base. You can cook it, you can eat it fresh as a salad. I throw a big handful or two on a plate and top it with black beans and corn; or tuna fish and sprinkle of  lowfat cheese, or a mix of frozen veggies, soy sausage, and a little cheese. Or I make a big salad. At home I prefer fresh veggies but on the road I usually buy a package or two of frozen broccoli and whatever else appeals in the moment. I usually buy one rotisserie chicken per trip --- one person can eat off that for a week. I buy eggs for hard-boiling and omelettes; omelettes with lots of veggies make a great quick meal. I also always buy a few really good olives, sun-dried tomatoes, a bit of really good cheese, and something crunchy like soy nuts or walnuts. Just a couple of these can really dress up a salad or a hot meal with little bursts of flavor and texture. A few pieces of fresh and dried fruit, Greek yogurt, oatmeal, and maybe some whole wheat pasta for those times when I get really busy and need to have a heat-and-eat meal ready, and I'm good to go.

Yes, it gets boring. And when that happens, I eat out.

So, the good thing about Miami is that I can really concentrate on working out and eating better, and get myself geared up for the summer.  I guess this is part of the cycle, too, learning to deal with the really busy times and the less busy times, the swings towards better fitness and the backsliding.  A lot of my colleagues are really on the fitness bandwagon, and that helps. A lot of them are doing Crossfit and the whole Paleo thing. I'm intrigued by Crossfit and would like to try it, but it needs to be a time when I'm not working. Paleo ... I can see adopting the basics but I'd never, pardon the pun, go whole hog.

So, it's time to hit the gym again. Today's treat: something called Ballet Barre Burn. Barre classes are all the rage these days, so I am really looking forward to trying it. I just really hope the music isn't so loud.

 

WORKOUT SMORGASBORD AT THE BARBIE GYM

So, I joined a gym here in Miami.  I'm only here for a month, but there isn't room in the house where I'm renting a room, and places like Miami Beach and South Beach, while doubtlessly havens for workout mavens, are just too far away and difficult to get to from my present location.

So, I joined the Barbie Doll Gym.

That isn't really what it's called. It's called Ironflower Fitness. And despite the website's claim that it is for ladies only, it is NOT, because there was a big, hairy pile of testosterone gentleman  in my class yesterday evening, and no one blinked an eye. If you're wondering why a man would join a gym where everything is bright pink and extremely girly, take a look at the website, which features lots of hot girls in skimpy outfits advertising the health benefits of pole dancing.

Anyway, I call it the Barbie Doll Gym because if Barbie designed a gym, this is what it would look like. Hot pink walls with B&W graphic wallpaper, whimsical furniture, crystal chandeliers. There are even hot pink Everlast sandbags for kickboxing class. Also, because every instructor I saw there was a tiny dancer. My right thigh weighs more than the lot of them combined. Collectively, they could probably wear a pair of my pants. Three to each leg. Possibly four.

There's not a lot there in the way of free weights (they have a set ... they're in the hall, and there's no place to really use them except in the hall). They have a few pieces of standard cardio equipment, and I do mean a few; again, lined up in the hall. No, this place is all about the classes. And they have a great variety of them.

So after rehearsal, I booked back over to my side of town and tried out my very first spinning class. Happily, I had the forethought to bring earplugs; I was fairly certain the music would be way too loud, and in this I was not disappointed. The room was very small and stuffy, with the bikes placed so closely you couldn't mount without kicking the one next to you; and there was a huge floor amp fit for a rock concert in an arena, for a room about the size of someone's master bedroom. It's too bad, because the class was challenging, a great workout, and might have been fun could one have heard and/or understood the instructor. Anyway, it certainly wrung me out with sweat and wore me out, and I'll probably try at least one more class (perhaps with two sets of earplugs) just to see if I like it better now that I've done one and have at least a partial clue of what's going on; but I suspect the only way I'd really like a spinning class is if it were in a larger room with music that didn't make my spine vibrate.

This morning, I tried Zumba for the first time, not without misgivings. My friend Nick had warned me that it's extremely cheesy ... and I can see how it might be, but this one was not. Yes, they did play the Macarena, but mostly it was hot Latin dance music, and towards the end, an African samba that really got your blood pumping. Perhaps it was the fact that our instructor, Yazz, could be Penelope Cruz' little sister; and like all the instructors here is a professional dancer; but the music was hot, it was very energetic, and it was fun. And even if I was the oldest, fattest, whitest person in the room, I kept up just fine. I do not have good dance moves, and I never will, but that's not really what it's about. It 's the cardio. And this was some good cardio.

One thing I really do like about this gym is that you can book which classes you want to take online. (You can also just drop in, but booking means you're assured a spot). Tomorrow, I'm signed up for Ballet Barre Burn (strength and stretching at the barre);  and next week will sample TRX Suspension Bands (been dying to try this strength/resistance workout), Kickboxing, Iron Power Blast (billed as a half hour, intense full body workout), and AcroYoga (which sounds like it's going to involve suspension and "flying") . I'm just treating this like a workout smorgasbord, where I'll spend the first week sampling a little of this and a little of that; and the classes I really like I'll repeat. What a fun way to work out, really! 

HIKING HONEYMOON AND MYAKKA

I know, I know, it seems like I've completely abandoned this blog, but 'tisn't true. I really have been busy sucking the last bits of delicious enjoyment out of my time in Sarasota, finishing up the run of the show, packing up, and moving to the next gig.

My husband made in into town for the final performance, and we had a whole day and a half to play together before that illustrious event, so we made the most of it with two GREAT hikes. He flew into Tampa, so after I picked him up we headed to the beautiful Honeymoon Island. The trails there are not particularly long, and they are all flat ... but as it turns out, you can spend a lot of time slogging through slippery, soft white sand, and that will do a number on your calves, thighs, and butt, yes it will.  Pretty good lower body workout, that.

It was a hot but gorgeous day, and we got off to a great start as we sought the trailhead with an encounter with a nine-banded armadillo who was happily grubbing in the underbrush beside the road. They don't see well, and he was really focussed on his grubbing, so we were inches away from him and he never noticed!

As we hit the trail, we began noticing osprey nests right away, and quickly lost count of the number of mated pairs we saw. They were everywhere! We also saw a couple of ladderback woodpeckers, owls' nests (but no owls) and even a bald eagle in the distance.

We also encountered a number of gopher tortoises, who were quite nonchalant about approaching us (provided we were standing close to something they wanted to eat).

It was a lovely hike through pines swathed in Spanish moss, with palmetto undergrowth --- a very typical Florida terrain.

And when we weren't in the pines, we were in the mangroves, or on the beach, where we found a very large (deceased) horseshoe crab.

We spent a happy couple of hours wandering the trails at Honeymoon Island,and I'd highly recommend it if you're in the area. There are some beautiful beaches, there, too.

The next day was our only full day off, and we had big plans. I'd read up about Myakka River State Park, and that's where we were determined to spend the day hiking. But first, we opted for sunrise on Siesta Key Beach and  delicious, healthy omelettes at the Sun Garden Cafe.

When we got to the park, we were greeted at the ranger's station with a map and a handout warning about the dangers of VULTURES EATING YOUR CAR. I am not making this up.

Apparently, if you park close to the lake at certain times of day, the vultures will come and eat the vinyl and rubber off your car. Also, any body of water in the park boundaries should be assumed to contain gators. And as if that isn't enough, this is the place where my colleague Audrey was chased by wild boars while jogging. So, Myakka State Park. Not the most welcoming environment.

Nevertheless, rewarding if you take proper precautions and respect the wilderness. There are some 39 miles of trails --- none of them particularly well-marked or well-mapped as it transpires, but we made it back, so you know this story has a happy ending. And there was lots of interesting wildlife. We had a couple of real "Circle of Life" moments.

The first wildlife we spotted was a wild turkey, pecking in the undergrowth. Then, we crossed a bridge over a pond full of alligators, so we had to stop and take a look there. And this is what we saw:

The Standoff.

Here are a bunch of black buzzards, an enticing dead fish, and a very large gator. The park ranger who was standing on the bridge taking photos said that the buzzards seem quite fascinated with gators, and whenever one is close to shore, they cluster around him. We later saw this phenomenon with a couple of different groups of buzzards/gators. But in this case, there was a storyline going on.

You see, those buzzards REALLY wanted that fish. REALLY wanted it. But they were cautious. They'd hop close in, take a little peck, hop back. Mr. Gator didn't even move. His snout was mere inches from the fish, but he just sat there. Patiently. Doubtlessly hoping for a buzzardy snack.

This standoff went on for quite some time, and at last, the alligator, who had not moved the entire time, casually reached up and gently took the fish in his mouth and began munching on it with great enjoyment, much to the dismay of the vultures.

MINE.

NOM NOM NOM.

That hit the spot, but I sure could use a buzzard chaser.

I swear he was teasing them.

There were plenty of birds at the pond, as well -- wood storks, Great Blue Herons, ibises, a small night heron with a beautiful blue bill, and many others. But the really exciting birdwatching was yet to come!

First, however, the Canopy Walk. After a short trail into the woods, you come upon two tall wooden towers, connected by a swingy wooden bridge, taking you ever higher into the canopy.

When you emerge at the top of the taller tower, you have a beautiful panoramic view of the park. And it is the sort of place where you would not be at all surprised to see a Brontasaurus head rising gracefully out of the trees.

After the Canopy Walk, we were ready to hit the trail in earnest. The maps, as mentioned, were pretty basic and left a great deal to be desired. But we settled on starting out at Fox Low Road, and off we went. It promised to meander through hammocks,  pine flats, dry prairie, and seasonally flooded wetlands, and it delivered. Very quickly we found ourselves in what appeared to be the jungle!

We didn't see much wildlife here; mainly the little lizards that seem to come one to a palmetto and make noise completely disproportionate to their tiny size. We wandered by creeks and a couple of primitive campsites, enjoying the shade. But soon enough that shade dissipated as we emerged into the palmetto scrub prairie.

I won't lie. This was a long, hot slog, and after the initial viewing of the new environment, not all that interesting. Plus, I managed to sunburn ONLY the backs of my knees, as the sun was now behind us. A lot of the area had also been subjected to controlled burns, so not so pretty. We were both happy to get back into some shade, and to find our way back to the car (with the help of the GPS feature on my  Garmin Forerunner and a friendly cyclist who happened by). We were out for over three hours, but we're not sure how much ground we covered. Hard to tell with the maps. Still, it was great exercise.

We headed over to Vultures Will Eat Your Car Lake to grab a cold drink at the concession stand and cool off. First thing we saw: wee baby alligator!

He was hanging out around the mouth of the creek, doubtlessly hoping to swim under the radar of his voracious and much larger relatives (some of whom we had previously sighted in the lake). The lake was a haven for all sorts of birds. We saw all the usual Florida suspects: Great Blue Herons, wood storks, Great White Herons, snowy egrets, ibises, night herons, wood storks, and several flocks of white pelicans. A couple of snowy egrets took exception to each other and engaged in aerial battle.

We also saw a pair of sandhill cranes.

Somehow our car escaped vulture consumption, so we headed over to the other side of this large lake, where there is a long boardwalk over the marsh in a spot ideal for birdwatching --- it's called the Birdwalk (get it?). It was here we had our second thrilling Circle of Life moment. On the far bank, there was a family of wild  boar (possible the same ones who took an exception to my friend Audrey's running technique), and many varieties of birds in and around the water. There was one VERY large bird sitting on a sandbar, and this turned out to be nothing less than a bald eagle. There was a distance viewer, so we were able to get a closer look at him, but even without magnification you could see his distinctive markings.

As we watched, the eagle spied an osprey winging over the treeline, which had to be at least half a mile away. He launched himself from the sandbar and took off after that osprey. We watched as he pursued and overtook it, chasing it in a couple of circles before shoulder checking the thing and forcing it to drop its fish! The eagle then caught that fish as it fell and headed lazily back to the lakeshore, ignoring the angry cries of the cheated osprey. We watched the eagle enjoy his stolen snack. I'm sure there's a political metaphor in there somewhere.

It was a very enjoyable day, and I would love to go back to Myakka and do more hiking (preferably with a good topo map and a better GPS).

Saturday was the final performance of Vanessa, and that was a very bittersweet experience for me. It's a truly great opera, one that is not done all that often, and to get to do such a beautiful production with a fantastic cast, all of whom have become dear friends, was a very special and treasured experience. I got a little teary at curtain call! Before we left the stage, we snapped a "family portrait", complete with Victorian scowling.

Sarasota Opera's Vanessa cast, L-R, back row: Stephen Fish (Majordomo), Scott Piper (Anatol), Kara Shay Thomsen (Vanessa), Thomas Potter (the Old Doctor). Front row: me (The Old Baroness), David Neely (Conductor), Audrey Babcock (Erika).

And without the scowling ...

And that was the end --- for now--- of my adventures in and around Sarasota. I loved being there, and hope I get to go back!

On Sunday, we packed up and headed down to my next gig in Miami. We ended up with an unexpected day off on Monday, so once we got settled in, Eric and I drove down to Key Largo to the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. This is the first state park which exists mostly underwater, and it's a haven for divers and snorkelers, as well as all sorts of boating and swimming. You can take a number of tours out to the reef, and we opted for the glass bottom boat tour. As we were waiting for it to begin, we strolled along a couple of the short nature trails the park offers. 

The Tamarind Trail wound through a hammock filled with interesting trees, including the poisonwood (a relative of poison ivy which you must not touch) and the red gumbo limbo. I was particularly taken with the intricate designs carved by nature on this bare trunk:

I have no idea what caused them, but I find them quite magical and lovely.

We also took a stroll on the mangrove boardwalk. The keys are thickly ringed with mangroves, as we saw as we took the boat out through the saltwater creek.

Pics of the coral reef as seen through the glassbottom boat don't really come out, but suffice it to say that it's a wonderful. We saw a gigantic brain coral that is hundreds of years old (it takes them 50 years to reach the size of a basketball; this one was the size about about three beanbag chairs put together), a large green moray eel (rare, as they are nocturnal), a spotted eagle ray, and lots of varieties of fish and coral, including some rare elkhorn coral. Up top, there was a great view of the bird life and the beautiful, sparkling ocean, which appears mottled between bright turquoise (where there is a sandy bottom) and navy blue (rocky bottom).

We returned to Miami hungry and tired, and hit the jackpot with the venerable Versailles restaurant, which despite its name serves delicious Cuban cuisine. It's a Miami institution, complete with old-fashioned decor and service, and AMAZING, inexpensive food.

Alas, Eric had to go home the next day, and I embarked on my new singing adventure: Gertrude in Romeo & Juliette with Florida Grand Opera. I am still getting settled in and figuring out my way around town; it's a bit of culture shock after quiet, easy-to-navigate Sarasota with its long, straight boulevards.

I am staying in a lovely home, but there is no room for working out and the neighborhood isn't really suitable for biking or running. So I am off today in search of a gym, as I am very determined to keep working out and even step it up a little. So stay tuned!

 

 

 

 

BIKING GASPARILLA ISLAND

Only two shows left ... I am going to be so sad to leave this cast, this show, and Sarasota (even though there are exciting new adventures awaiting in Miami). We got another really nice review.

I'm really glad I brought my bike on this trip. It's been living in the back of the van, covered up in an old blanket, and out it comes whenever there's an opportunity. For instance, St. Paddy's Day, which happened to be one of our days off. It was a Saturday, and the traffic was awful, so I parked in the opera garage and rode over to Longboat Key, about 4 miles one way. Had a delicious (but not very healthy) lunch at a fish shack, and then went to explore this inviting little boardwalk.

 

The first thing I saw was an osprey, a fish-eating bird of prey.

And at the end of the boardwalk, there was a lovely spot overlooking the bay. Glancing down in the water, I spied this huge shell ... which turned out to be a live whelk. So cool! I'd never seen one before.

On Sunday, we had a matinee, followed by the Artist's Concert (that made for a very long day)!  For compae/contrast purposes, I present my Act I look:

And my gown for the Artists' Concert:

Today was another day off, and I was very determined to get my workout in first thing, before any play. I've been very faithful about doing Power 90 and it's rewarding to see how quickly my stamina and strength have grown.

Then, I drove down to Gasparilla Island. This is a gorgeous little spot about an hour south of Sarasota. The island is seven miles long, and has a spectacular bike trail that runs the length of the island. Most people there don't even use their cars --- they bike, walk, or drive golf carts (frequently with their dogs perched on the seat next to them).  When in Rome! I parked my car, hauled out the bike, and cycled down to the southernmost tip of the island to visit the Boca Grande Lighthouse.

Then I toodled back up through town, stopping to visit some of the cute shops and the Loose Caboose, where Katherine Hepburn once enjoyed ice cream (as did I). It's the former railroad depot.

I visited the gorgeous library, the spectacular beach, the lovely shady street lined with banyan trees ... it's a pretty idyllic place. And what better way to see it than on bike!

I'll be honest. This is not how I wanted to look when I came back to Sarasota. Every day is a fight and I'm not giving up. I am proud that I am so much more active, and I will continue to fight to get back to a better weight for me. I don't know why it's so hard now when for several years there I was in the zone --- maybe it's because I was so focused during that time, and now my focus is divided. Whatever. I will continue to pursue the best health I can be in. Heck, I want to end up like some of these fierce, fit old folks I see around here.

Tomorrow is Show #5, and then my sweet husband comes into town ... and we're planning a hike in Myakka River State Park. So stay tuned!

NINETEEN MILES!

So, today was a day off, and I was determined to get my workout in first thing. It was also a gorgeous day, so I wanted to be outside. And that's how I ended up riding 19 miles on the Legacy Trail. It's a 10.6 mile trail that runs along an old railroad corridor, from just south of Sarasota to Venice.

To be honest, it's not all that interesting a trail. It is long, straight, and flat. The only change in this is a single highway crossover, which is quite steep, and a couple of bridges over creeks or bays.  But mostly, it's flat. The good thing is that that makes it very easy!

There are nice little covered rest stations about every mile, with benches so people can sit out of the sun and rest. There are several parks along the way that you could peel off and explore (I didn't, this time); and a couple of times you cross water, and there are places on the bridge to pull off and enjoy the view.

I didn't see much wildlife --- mostly squirrels, a great blue heron (above), and some vultures.

I rode all the way to the end of the trail, the Venice train depot, and then turned around and went back. On the way out, I didn't stop much, just kept peddling; but coming back I was a little tired! So I took my time and took a couple of pics.

I stopped off at one of the little stations and enjoyed my snack of homemade trail mix and a pear (I needed it by then --- I'd intended to ride for about two hours tops, and it ended up being more like three).

I wasn't too tired right after the ride, but once I got home and had my shower and a big salad, it really hit me! Whew! But it didn't stop me from heading out again, this time for a walk on the beach and dinner on the water. It was a good day.

However, I have also learned a lesson, and that is that I am deceiving myself about my power to control intake of  kettle corn and yogurt-covered pretzels. They are crack and must never enter my living space again. There have been Incidents this week. So they are banished from the home henceforth and forthwith. You know, I never have this kind of trouble with fruit.

Anyway, I need to find mo'betta bike trails in the area, because I could really get into doing more long rides. As dull as that trail was, it was better than working out inside on a beautiful, sunny day! However, tomorrow I will be doing just that ... long rehearsal day, which means getting up early and getting that workout in before heading to the theater.

But hey, 19 miles. I'm kinda proud.

BIKING AND PIZZA

Yesterday it was humid but otherwise gorgeous, and I decided that after rehearsal I would take the bike for a spin. Now, I haven't really ridden since I fell off and broke my wrist in 2008. In fact, I gave my bike to my mother at that time, and the only other time I've been on one was during a visit to LA in 2009. And sadly, I failed to adjust the bike seat, so it's just a little too short and I have no tools to adjust it; I suppose I'll just have to find a bike shop and be a big girl and ask them to do it for me.

Anyway, none of this stopped me from taking a nice 5+ mile ride yesterday along the bay, over the John Ringling Causeway to St. Armand's Key. Which, as it turned out, was so crowded with cars and people and baby carriages and what have you that it was impossible to ride there, so I turned around and came back. There was a vintage car show going on in the circle. I particularly liked this little beauty:

Anyway, it wasn't much, but for the first time out it was probably good enough.There are bike lanes all over Sarasota, yet many of them are simply not safe. I've only seen one person actually using them --- most cyclists just ride on the sidewalk, which may or may not be legal, but is certainly safer. There's a great deal of traffic and a lot of poor driving.  The drivers tend to use the bike lanes as shoulders. It's not worth taking a chance.

At some point on the ride I conceived a craving for pizza, but rather than order in or go to a restaurant, I went home and made this deliciousness:

Sundried tomato focaccia, homemade spinach walnut pesto, fresh spinach, roasted red peppers, artichokes, peppadews, and just a little bit of cheese. Half for dinner and half for lunch the next day, and it was fabulous and very satisfying.

Today it was really hard to get going, but eventually I managed to get off my butt. I've decided to restart Power 90, which is the program which precedes P90X. I feel I need to work my way back up to P90X, and I also need to take the pressure off for a while. This is a much easier program. In fact, it may be too easy, though I was certainly sweating during today's session! However, I'll be doing other things as well. Right now it seems more important to shake it up and just keep doing something every day.