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March 20, 2010 Leave a Comment

6 Tips to make spring spin classes more enjoyable!

1)  Schedule it.  90% is just showing up!  Remember, you can share your ride card with anyone in your family over 15 years old.

 6)  Eat right after class!   Something small, preferable with protein…it will  keep your appetite from viciously attacking you later in the day. 
 
2) Regular cardio gives you great energy, burns calories and reduces your chances of sickness and disease….. Keep this in mind when you’re making your commitment!
 
3)  Take breaks during class.  We carry tension in our back, neck and shoulders….in spinning and in life.  Take periodic breaks in the class to sit up, roll the shoulders, relax and gather yourself.
 
4) Enjoy the musicThis is a rare chance to enjoy a respite from your daily stress.  Embrace it.
 
5)  Have fun!   Seriously….the beauty of a great spin class is the magical combination of a great workout, great music and great fun.  Enjoy it

 

 

Filed Under: General Fitness, Inspirations, Staying young Tagged With: ,
March 10, 2010 Leave a Comment

Cool news from Google: bike routes online from Google Maps

This is such a cool new thing, you can now select bike routes from point to point in Google maps.  It will take into account traffic lights, hills and other practical factors.  So logical!  CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY.

Filed Under: Cool places to go
March 4, 2010 Leave a Comment

What makes an indoor cycling class great

If you’ve been a Spynergy rider for a while, you know our basic philosophy:  Great cardio exercise and all the amazing health benefits that come with it  should be FUN.  Wow, that sounds simple, and darnit it is simple.  Only the most disciplined and dour among us can commit to regular workouts that are boring.  Maybe for a few weeks…..but for a lifetime?  I don’t think so.

As a Spynergy rider, your experience should be guided by 3 things:  1) a teacher that motivates and energizes, 2) an environment that is pleasant and 3) a convenient, efficient experience when it comes to scheduling and paying.  If we can provide those 3 things, we are succeeding.  Did we mention we want it to be fun?

How we doin?  Would love to hear your comments.

Filed Under: Fitness / Tips, General Fitness, Inspirations
January 24, 2010 2 Comments

Spin®-a-thon at Spynergy for Haiti Relief, local church

 

A local church here in town, the Wellesley Friends Meeting, has asked us to raise money for a "sister" church of theirs:  a Hatian-American congregation in Waltham called the New Covenant Church of Cambridge.  The Haitian disaster has struck them in a very direct and personal way as you can imagine.  To read about their gut-wrenching plight, click here for a recent article from the Waltham Daily News Tribune.

 
On Saturday, I visited with Reverand Thomas St. Louis in the basement of his Church where he has been sleeping for the past week trying to console, minister and organize help.  You can hear the exhaustion in his voice in this VIDEO we shot with him.  

He is planning to personally accompany a delivery of supplies that is now being assembled.  They have lots of clothes, but need money for desperately needed medical supplies, food and other assistance.  Every little bit helps.  Please help us help Reverand St. Louis.


Alex, Bill, Melissa, and Andy will teach 4 consecutive 30-minute classes:  11:00, 11:30, 12:15 and 12:45.  Each with awesome and inspirational music (as always!).  You can sign-up on- line like any other class, your ride card will not be charged…..but we ask for a minimum donation of $20 per class (and of course will always accept more).   If you want to spin for a full hour….book two consecutive classes!  Donations should be checks made payable to " Haiti Earthquake Relief Assistance Fund".   Click here to view schedule and book your classes.  Booking these classes will not impact your ride card, Donations will be collected at the studio…..thank you , thank you , thank you.

Filed Under: Inspirations
January 14, 2010 6 Comments

Are you interested in Wine?

I am.  But in January, I give up the beloved grape nectar as part of a cleansing process that I have commited myself to each year for the past 14 years.  Why cleanse?  If you happen to have observed any of my consumption and dietary behavior during the months of November and December, you would understand why the January cleanse is both necessary, and in fact quite easy (at least for the first few weeks). 

While I can't drink during the month of January, I can in fact read about wine.  Not the same, I know, but it can be quite entertaining.  The blogoshpere is ripe with wine blogs of various kinds, I have found a few writers who are both knowledgeable as well as entertaining.

WineZag is published by Adam Japko, a long time friend, former colleague and as passionate a wine enthusiast as you will ever meet.  Adam has a great sensiblity about the enjoyment of wine, but he also does it in a down to earth way.  His favorite wines are wines that are great values……….and he knows how to find them.

Wellesely Wine Press is published by Robert Dwyer.  He brings a local sensibility living right around here in Wellesley, and is also highly focussed on value.

Both of these blogs have a broad variety of information about virtually any aspect of the wine universe you might be interested in.  Right now I am voraciously READING, I can't wait til February when I can resume CONSUMING.  I love calories out (spin class and spinning), but I also love calories in (wine and food).

Do you know other Wine Blogs?  Love to hear from you.

Filed Under: Inspirations, Nutrition
November 30, 2009 Leave a Comment

Who Says I Can't? Spynergy rider tells his amazing story

We love this title and this attitude.  Jothy Rosenberg, a long time visitor to Spynergy — has written a new book.  Who Says I Can't?  is the incredible story of a two-time cancer survivor,  amputee and entrepreneur who fought back, survived and thrived.  After losing his leg to cancer as a youth, he went on to get a PhD in computer science, to author 2 technical books, to found 6 high tech companies, to ride in the Pan-Masscahusetts Challenge bike-a-thon supporting the Dana-Farber cancer institute 7 times, to swim 16 times from Alcatraz to San Francisco to support Boston Healthcare for the Homeless, and to participate in many other sports and fundraising activities.  Click here for more info, or visit the Who Says I Can't facebook page.

Filed Under: Inspirations
August 20, 2009 1 Comment

Cycling Acadia

56 miles of spectacular car-free “carriage paths” inside Acadia National Park on the Maine coast. You can lollygag, or push yourself…..doesn’t matter, it’s awesome. Good-enough mountain bikes are $20 per day to rent, Boston to Acadia is 4.5 hours. Other cool things: climb a mountain, sea kayak, or just look at the ocean and eat lobster. Spynergy gives it “5 revolutions” our highest rating. Anyone else been there?

Filed Under: Cool places to go
August 6, 2009 Leave a Comment

Cleveland is the new Tuscany (Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame)

The bad news? Once again, our Tuscany (or equivalent) vacation was pushed to the back burner by events out of our control. This time, the economic collapse of the modern world. Whatever. The good news? We drove to Cleveland and experienced one of the great museum takes there is. The Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame.

I won’t bore you with a description of the building (brilliant IM Pei design), or the beauty of the setting (lakeside amidst the best looking structures in Ohio)……it was inside the building where the magic occurred. On a scale of 1 to 10, if your love of modern popular music is above 5 — go to this place before you die. One caveat: Do NOT go casually for an hour or two. Plan on spending at least 5 hours (I was in the building for 9 hours over 2 days, and with a few more Red Bulls, could have spent more time). Not kidding.

Music is emotion, and this place is slathered with the emotions for your childhood, youth, young adulthood and even middle age. Images and audio are infinitely combined to entertain and educate. You experience an odd and exhilirating combination of nostalgia and discovery…..how is that possible? Specifics? OK.

1) Extensive video footage of a skinny Bruce Springsteen going berserk at various Jersey venues (special exhibit on Bruce runs through the end of 2009 and I thought my wife might take up residence inside the room).

2) Kiosks (with multiple headsets) where you can view audio and video of artists by genre and then view further video of the artists that influenced them. I could have spent hours on this alone. Every wonder who influenced Nirvana?

3) Literally hours of unreleased Jimi Hendrix sessions recordings (if they’d had a chair at the kiosk, I would still be there). Other artists too….I happen to like Hendrix.

4) A multi-screened movie theatre with a brilliantly produced highlight film of everyone inducted in the Hall of Fame. Organized by year of induction.

5) Exhibits centered around key geographical music hotbeds: London, New York, San Francisco, Memphis, LA, Chicago, etc.

6) Cool gift shop.

Need I go on? In order to qualify for induction an artist must have a record made at least 25 years ago. First inductees were folks like Ray Charles, Chuck Berry and Elvis. More recently: U2, REM, Madonna, Lynard Skynard, The Clash and Talking Heads. Blues and Motown greats are also abundant. A day pass is $22. You can go back on day 2 for $11. Maybe the food aint as good as Tuscany, but for “escape” value? Unbeatable.

More spin class music than I could ever use….Surely you have a friend or relative in Cleveland? Go. www.rockhall.com

Filed Under: Cool places to go, Music
July 23, 2009 Leave a Comment

Bob Dylan live at McCoy Stadium, Pawtucket RI

I think he winked at us with this show. First of all the “circus” theme?? Complete with cheesy taped intro music and a booming ringmaster announcement: “ladies and gent — tul —- men, the poet laureate of a generation, the folk icon of the 60’s, etc. etc.”. What was up with all that? The master showman was a master showman, what can you say.

Once the band started playing, it was all business though. They started at 80 miles per hour (Cat’s in the Well) and rarely let up. The show was instrumental, rocking, energetic and best of all tight……musically. Poignant ballads? Not tonight.

Willie Nelson and John Mellancamp? Nice side-shows, nice for what they do, and nice build ups to the main act — center ring. Song treatments were what you would expect……Dylan’s were not. The beauty of this kind of Dylan show, was that you could have it both ways: you could hear a song you’ve heard 400 times, and you could hear the same song for the first time. It Aint’ Me Babe was the song of the night for me and I didn’t even recognize it until several minutes in. For the old-timers Masters of War was warped into an angry rock diatribe spitting venom. Later Highway 61 Revisited got you into a looser mood and when the band kicked into Summer Days you felt like you were dancing in a juke joint somewhere in the southern midwest.

Most songs displayed an almost “jam band” type feel as powerful instrumentals shattered the damp night air. The only criticism I heard (which was true) was that you could not understand Dylan’s voice at all. Yes, you could hear it — but as usual it was unintelligible. You know what? So what? Most people knew all the words anyway.

All in all this was a summer show — threatening to rain all night but it miraculously held out —- maybe it was because he played The Levee’s Gonna Break. Who could resist a grin while the highly satisfying encore rolled out Like a Rolling Stone, Jolene (brand new), and All Along the Watchtower? If you haven’t seen a Bob Dylan show in several years, it is crystal clear to me he has developed a stadium “thing” that is innovative, skilled, and highly entertaining. Best of all, it somehow seems to magically feel fresh as opposed to nostalgic. How does he do that………again?

For another opinion on the show and a bit more detail, check the Larry Fishman review at the Bob Links site.

Filed Under: Cool places to go, Music, Music reviews
May 5, 2009 Leave a Comment

Spynergy Riders Share Their Secrets

SPYNERGY RIDERS SHARE THEIR SECRETS

Coolest thing to do with kids
1) Kids PMC day on May 31 – volunteer and ride
2) Canoe or Kayak on the Pond – watch for new goslings
3) Tomb in Boston
4) Southwick Zoo in Menden
5) Bruins Game
6) Higgins Armory Museum in Worcester
7) Picnic in DeCordova Sculpture Garden – Lincoln
8) Catch Toads in Creek behind Brae Burn Country Club
9) ‘T’ to Boston and see Tulips in Public Garden
10) Esplanade when sailboats are out
11) Wheesie’s children’s garden at Elmbank (So. Natick)
12) Kayaking on Lake Cochituate

Best spot for lunch with a friend
1) LaRiviera: centrally located, never too crowded, great food
2) My back porch for a chopped salad
3) Daikanyama in Lexington
4) Waverly Market in Framingham
5) Bagels Best in Needham
6) Café Mangal
7) Oga
8) Bread and Chocolate – Newton
9) Cabots

Favorite Cool Website:
1) MyRecipes.com
2) The Writer’s Almanac / Garrison Keillor
3) Spynergy
4) Affordablesearch.com
5) Coolrunning.com
6) Mashable.com (social media)
7) Aloha Rag (cool clothes)
8) common sense media (parenting)
9) Thewinger.com (ballet)
10) Hungrygirl.com (nutrition)

Thanks to Camellia Ciocca, Tracy Cranley, Leslie Cutler, Stephanie Hoffman, Andy Schiller, Jamie Nestor, Mia Wenjen, AE Rueppel, Leslie Doyle, Terri Bonee, Leslie Doyle, Dan Fitzgerald

Filed Under: Cool places to go
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