This was taken on the day of my first race after moving to California in July of 2012.  The photo in About Melissa section (see here) was taken right before this race happened.  If you look closely at the photo, I’m wearing a small fuse bead heart (a camp project from a then 5 year old Wild Boy) that became the logo and the inspiration for calling this blog thevalentineRD.com.  Today’s trip down memory lane reminded me that it’s been quite a long time since I’ve been here written a word, so I did something different and wrote.

In case you’re wondering what I’ve been up to recently, here’s what I’ve been doing lately (except blogging):

 1.  Parenting

Yes, you can parent while still being a consistent blogger but it seems that I don’t do that very well.  Writing blog posts is a long and arduous process for me (even though I enjoy sharing experiences and how it makes me an active part of the wellness blogging community) and it just had to give over the past few months.

Bottom line:  My kiddo needed more of my attention and I gave it to him.

2.  Teaching yoga.

I finished with Yoga Teacher Training in December and quickly started teaching at Stadium Fitness Yoga in Pasadena.  I did a lot of sub work but soon found myself teaching 3 regular classes per week (see here for my schedule).  In addition, I did a few classes at Athleta Pasadena, taught two classes at the Inspirator Retreat with Erin Kreitz Shirey in Avila Beach, CA and created and kicked off the inaugural Duran Duran Yoga class in New York City.

Yup, that’s me.  Taken at a Lululemon LA event.  Photo: Will Haraldson

Believe it or not, it takes a lot of work to create playlists and sequences and since I do most things slowly, teaching yoga definitely took me away from blogging on the regular.  I enjoy teaching yoga but I’ve found that if you don’t make time to cultivate your own personal practice and continue to educate yourself, your foundation as a student and a teacher crumbles and you approach burn out very quickly.

3.  Traveling.

In addition to two mini work/vacation trips (see #2), I also went on a family vacation this summer for an entire month!  Our family got to experience a week in London, a week in Paris, a week in the Midi-Pyrenees and a week in our old stomping grounds, New York City.  The idea of this trip was just a dream last year but we made it a reality with a ton of planning.  The stress of planning such an extensive trip left little room for inspired writing (but it did leave lots of room for lots of very cool Instagram posts that documented much of our experience)

The infamous Abbey Road in London. It’s actually a busy street. We were lucky that morning.

4.  Engaging in other forms of social media.

I haven’t been blogging but I’ve been on a huge Instagram tear.  Jay and Wild Boy joked all through Europe that I needed to take photos before we ate anything or moved on to something new.  I tried Snapchat (but now with Insta stories, who needs it?) but the fact that it wasn’t intuitive frustrated me.  I’ll stick with Facebook (which has gotten a little too overcurated for my taste) and Instagram for now.  I miss the days of Twitter conversations….

A recent Insta post with my favorite guy from the Sting & Peter Gabriel show at the Hollywood Bowl this summer.

5.  Running on the treadmill of my own brain.

No physical running for over a year and half has been depressing but part of the reason I haven’t been back to the blog is because I set goals for myself publicly here and never reached them.  Facing your own disappointment isn’t easy.  Having to rub a little salt into the wound while writing about failing (again!) at reaching (or even making progress toward) intentions or goals is downright painful.  Instead, I’ve spent more time than necessary in my own head about how I haven’t done what I wanted to do this year (on the blog and in general) and kept it inside rather than sharing what feels like incessant whining in my head.

*******

It’s September 1st and the last quarter of 2016 is here.  While I’m not making any promises about what I plan to accomplish or even say that I’ll post more regularly, I did want to share that I have missed blogging and being a part of a community that I truly love.

The blogosphere has changed dramatically in the past few years and in my mind not for the better – people closing their comments (and their blogs overall), the dramatic shift to visual (Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube and now even Facebook Live!) versus words, the lack of true human stories (and the increase in sponsored posts and “stories” concocted just to sell products through affiliate links) and just the sheer number of blogs out there.  It’s not easy to keep up.

We all have demands on our time and the way we deal with our own stresses is what makes up our character.  My character has been one of retreat from more than just the blogging world and I’m ready for that to change.  One step forward into a new month.  Let’s see what it brings…..

The post The 5 Things I’ve Been Doing Lately (Except Blogging) appeared first on the valentine RD.

I’ve been diligently working on an event that combines two of my most favorite things

and now I’m ready to announce that…

I’ll be coming to NYC in April and leading:

All attendees will receive a free gift, yummy post-workout snacks and part of their registration costs donated to charity.

To find out details and register for one of the limited spots available, click here.

Hope all of my yoga loving peeps in NYC will come and join in on the fun!

Love,

Me

If you’re not in NYC, in what city would YOU like to see a future Duran Duran Yoga Event? LMK, I’d love to make it happen.

The post Duran Duran Yoga in NYC appeared first on the valentine RD.

2016 was no different and today was the day I was going to put my nose to the grindstone and truly begin on some big ideas.  Instead, a relatively minor incident turned all of my productive intentions into tears, doubt and frustration.  I had a mini meltdown and it took some time and some doing to really get my head on straight.  We all have times when the demands of work or life just get the better of us.  Today was my day.

I had plans here on the blog to finally write my annual birthday tribute post (see here for my 2014 post and my 2015 post). Since March is National Nutrition Month, I had plans for some hard hitting nutritional education posts and ramping up my private practice offerings.  There were also ideas of how best to highlight some of the new yoga classes I’ll be teaching here on the blog.  None of the things I thought I wanted to spend my time on received the attention I thought I’d putting forth today.  Instead, I wallowed….until I didn’t.

After I spent some time feeling terrible, something inside me shifted.  It’s happened before – my optimist flip philosophy helped me get through a pretty negative thought pattern rut.  This time the words,  “F^&* That S%^&” flew out of my mouth (yes, I talk to myself) and almost instantly, my head cleared.

With certain people I can curse a lot.  In my general every day life, I don’t curse too often.  I’m not a delicate flower nor am I offended when people do curse.  When I do curse, it usually means I’m passionate about something.

I’ve had a crazy idea running around in my head for awhile.  I’ve verbalized the idea to a few people but it always was more of a way to test out how someone would react to it.  The idea isn’t super outlandish or world changing but for me, it’s scary.  I’m usually pretty good at generating a lot of ideas but follow-through sometimes is my biggest hurdle.

Well, today after the unexpected development of what I will now consider my new mantra of 2016, (FTS), I took a great big leap to make this (scary) idea a reality. I’ll be revealing more about this new endeavor, some nutrition education posts and offerings and highlighting my upcoming yoga classes very soon.

Watch this space because there’s definitely more to come.  It might sound hokey but I urge you to consider finding your own mantra if you haven’t found one for yourself.  Words are powerful and if you find ones that speak to you, they’re priceless.  For me, there may be a lot more of FTS from me here on the blog, on Instagram (my favorite social media outlet) and on Twitter (I long for Twitter of yesteryear, don’t you?) and I’m excited to see what comes next.

Have you ever had one of those mind clearing moments when an expression became your mantra?  

What was the situation and what were the words?

The post A New Mantra – FTS appeared first on the valentine RD.

Two weeks ago I got the chance to celebrate the LAunch of YG Studios in Los Angeles at the W Hollywood Hotel.  While I wasn’t able to work up a huge sweat (damned back injury flare-up), it was super cool to get the chance to see 5 of the most well known instructors in fitness today teach a room of dedicated fitness enthusiasts.  You might have seen this photo from my Instagram feed:

Getting ready for a workout with @yg_studios for #LALaunch.l at the very cool @whotelhollywood

A photo posted by Melissa Burton, RD (@mburton0214) on Feb 6, 2016 at 12:03pm PST

Even if I couldn’t work out the way I wanted to, it was super cool to get a chance to experience some of the biggest names in fitness and see what they were all about.

YG Instructors from the LAunch party: Brett Hoebel, Sydney Benner, Shay Kostabi, Lacey Stone, Marxel Leobez

I don’t watch NBC’s The Biggest Loser but I had heard of Brett Hoebel.  He’s a tough love motivator during a class but he was fun and made all the attendees laugh while they were sweating.

Next up was Sydney Benner, creator of a fitness fusion class held in dance clubs called Flight that I had heard about (but didn’t get to try) last year.  Sydney reminded me Gwen Stefani.  She was strong and bubbly.  She also went through the crowd and high fived people after her set which I thought was kind of awesome.

Shay Kostabi is a name I’ve heard in fitness circles for years and there’s a reason why – she emanates positivity as she makes you work.  Forgive the second musical comparison but Shay reminded me of Fergie from The Black Eyed Peas – pretty but powerful.  I think anyone named after a drunk cowboy who is an unlikely hero in a movie has got to have a sense of humor and the desire to rise above.  I’d love to take a full class with Shay when I’m fully healed.

I was super excited to experience some fitness time with Lacey Stone.  If you’re interested in fitness, you know the name Lacey Stone. I knew of Lacey from my fitness whoring days in New York but never was able to take a class with the well-known instructor.  Lacey was fun, motivational and made every person in the class work.  I wound up chatting with her briefly after her class and she seemed so very nice.  I would LOVE to take a class with Lacey sometime soon.

The fitness portion of the day ended with some fusion yoga by Marxel Leobez.  Marxel has an interesting background that features college in New York (just like me), fitness, wellness and music.  Marxel was all over the place during his teaching time (like sitting on the bar as he cued).  As a new yoga teacher myself, I think I might want to take a full class with Marxel once my body is healed.

After the fitness portion of the YG Studios LAunch, attendees were offered a healthy lunch (who knew you could spiralize beets?):

and some drinks (I saved a bottle of Better Booch Rose Kombucha for later) and enjoyed a Citrus Champagne Punch with a view of Hollywood (yes, I did silently wave at the Duran Duran Star on the Walk of Fame over near the Capitol Records building as a part of my day drinking adventure):

After enjoying a sampling of what YG Studios could bring to the Los Angeles fitness scene, I sat down with the founder of YG Studios, NT Etuk, and learned that an injury and strength regained through Pilates (sound familiar?) helped inspire this entrepreneur to create a dually beneficial platform allowing fitness fiends to “find their guru” while simultaneously helping fitness instructors build their following outside of a specific gym or boutique studio.  As a fitness enthusiast and as a new yoga teacher, YG Studios is very appealing option that I hope to avail myself of very soon.

Thank you, YG Studios for some fun and fitness in LA topped off with pretty sweet swag bag and very cool yoga mat (folded):

If you love fitness or if you teach fitness, check out what YG Studios can offer you (if you’re in one of the 6 locations).

Disclosure:  I was invited to the YG Studios LAunch party but was under no obligation to write about the event.  All opinions are 100% my own (and I promise not at all altered my version of exercise on that date – day drinking).

The post Finding Your Guru at the YG Studios LAunch appeared first on the valentine RD.

Please email me at melissa (at) thevalentineRD.com to arrange your giveaway prize.  If you do not contact me to claim your prize within 24 hours, a new winner will be chosen.

Many thanks to all that entered – may your February be fabulous!

What is the most fabulous thing that has happened to you thus far in 2016?

The post Announcement – The Winner of the #FabFebruary Giveaway Has Been Chosen appeared first on the valentine RD.

The ultimate gift:  Great concert seats.

There are few things that would make a true Duran Duran fan happier than getting to see their favorite band up close while they’re playing live.

2016 tour dates are on sale NOW and I’m pretty sure they’ll be announcing a few more dates here and there.  Most die hard fans already have their tickets but if they don’t they’ll likely have to go through a ticket reseller (and pay through the nose) to get decent seats.  My wallet is still recovering from #concertapalooza this past Fall so I’m in the market for a ticket for an upcoming show (or two), myself.

Screen shot from DuranDuran.com

However, if your favorite Duran fan has excellent tickets already, here are some tangible items that might make them smile this Valentine’s Day:

1.  Duran Duran Themed Jewelry:

There are quite a few places where you can find Duran Duran jewelry but this Duran Duran Collection With 3 Double Sided Loose Guitar Picks & Necklace in Tin* for ($16.99 plus shipping) was something I thought was unique and .  There are 3 eras of Duran featured in this set which would definitely please the long-term dedicated fan.

If bracelets are more up your alley, check out this charm bracelet from Etsy shop, Beatles Stitch ($28.00).

Beatles Stitch

Beatles Stitch features some other Duran Duran themed necklaces as well (in addition to other artists).  The site is worth checking out for sure!

Dayna over at the Etsy shop Blue Silver Vintage Designs also has some great new Duran Duran themed earrings you might want to check out (these Diamond in the Mind ones for $15 are super cool).

If necklaces or bracelets aren’t for you, you can check out Pulse Watches on Etsy for their one of a kind Wild Boys watch ($27.50).  They did have a Rio one when I first did my research but it must have recently been sold. Pulse Watches carries a lot of 80’s like icons on their watches as well if you decide you want to treat some other friends to a gift.

2.  Duran Duran Themed Shirts:

Universalwear – Etsy

I loved this Original Band Line Up t-shirt ($11.87) that I found at Universalwear on Etsy.  I have quite a few Duran shirts but I’m definitely looking for some additional tank tops though.

If you know your fan is looking for Official Duran Duran Merchandise only, see here for UK based Crewe Issue.  If you want to wear the same designs that the band is often featured wearing, make sure to check out PunkMasters by Patty Palazzo.  I’ve seen SLB in the Queen Sioux, Stay Hungry, Mad World and DELETE styles just to name a few.  The band often wears Patty’s designs.  They’re pretty fabulous (I own the Neurotic City t-shirt in black because it describes me to a T – even if it’s meant to be a take-off of the famous New York City John Lennon shirt).

If you want to outfit your little one in a Duran themed onesie, make sure you chat with Nicole at Rainbow Alternative.  Her designs are fun.  She loves pop culture maybe as much as I do!

3.  Other Duran Duran Themed Clothing:

While this might be pushing the fan envelope into CrazyTown a bit, I recently discovered the leggings company Pins To Kill that lets you design your own leggings with any image you want.  I designed these from a screen shot from the “Pressure Off” video but I did not buy them.  I love the idea of these leggings but I’m not sure I could bring myself to wear them.  My very understanding husband said this when I showed him my design, “If I see you wearing Simon’s face on your ass, we may need to have a discussion.”  My friend Chris said she’d call me “Cameltoe Le Bon” if I wore these leggings.  I think SLB might chuckle at that moniker.

On another note, I am not sure if the ability to create these designs might break copyright laws so I say design at your own risk. 

PinsToKill.com

If you don’t want to overdo your Duran representation in your clothing, maybe you want to go a little more subtle with Huf X Nagel Socks Navy Size O/S* ($15.99) featuring Patrick Nagel designs?  There are only 2 pairs left so act fast if you want them!

Blue Silver Vintage still has these amazing John Taylor shoes ($89.00) that definitely make a unique statement and let’s the world know who your favorite Duran member is.

4.  Duran Duran Themed Art:

This recycled vinyl record wall art of Seven and The Ragged Tiger ($39. 99+) is something that I would love!  This design by Second Spin Designs on Etsy is amazing.  It looks like for an additional charge that this design could be converted into a clock as well.

Second Spin Designs – Etsy

If modern art is your thing, you will definitely love this Warhol inspired Duran Duran Pop Art Soup Group piece by Zteven on Etsy ($50). Duran is not the only featured artist with this design (you can find Lemmy, The Beastie Boys, Dolly Parton, The Beatles and Culture Club to name a few).  I think this is a cool design and with each only being 5 x 7 dimension, you can likely find the wall space for the 6 framed prints. 

Zteven on Etsy

5.  Duran Duran Themed Accessories

Maybe you’re looking for a new phone or iPad cover or maybe a pillow, bag, mug or even a duvet cover (see below)?  You must see Becki Arnott’s designs over on RedBubble:

Becki Arnott at RedBubble.com

I own a tank top in the above design and for my Duran ROD, Josie’s birthday, I had a t-shirt from Becki’s store made.  Becki said she made this design for a university project when I complimented her on Twitter. I love that this was made by a younger fan.  RedBubble is amazing with the multitude of things where this design can be utilized.  Prices are reasonable.  Take a peek!

If you’re old school and like to carry notebooks, I’d suggest this Rio notebook made from an original record cover from Rock and Recycle on Etsy.  I’ve been considering getting one to keep a record of my yoga sequences.  I have a million notebooks but this one would certainly be special.

I know there are plenty of Duran Duran themed gifts I didn’t include due to lack of space.  To see some of the amazing Duran Duran themed books, see my original Duran Duran Valentine’s Day Gift Guide here (skip to #5).

Happy Shopping!

Disclosure:  This is NOT a sponsored post.  However, all links designated with “*” are Amazon Affiliate links which will earn this site a few pennies.  A percentage of all monies earned will be donated to charity in 2016.

The post A Gift Guide for Duran Duran Fans appeared first on the valentine RD.

We have been together through college, long distances, a break-up, growing up, a child, a dog, a cross country move and so much more.

I’m so very grateful to have such a loving, funny, smart and supportive partner on this crazy road of life.  To have someone by your side who is not your blood but sticks by you no matter what is something rare.  I’m luckier than I ever expected I would be in this life.

For all of February’s faults for pushing the idea of romantic love, in 1991 February was kind to me and really did bring me the love of my life.  I look forward to continuing along the very adventurous path with my most wonderful partner.

As a child of an exceptionally acrimonious divorce, I never dreamed that a long lasting love and relationship could ever be possible.  I’m glad to have been proven wrong.

Here’s to another billion years!

Wishing you all lasting love today (and every day)!

The post Cheers to 25 Years! appeared first on the valentine RD.

In the hopes that the month that represents love overload (and my birthday month) can help put things on a more positive spin for the year, I’ve decided it’s time for a special kind of giveaway.

In the interest of promoting health, wellness, good karma and community,

I’m hosting a giveaway of a one outfit worth $49.95 from

(for you or a friend)

In December 2013, I reviewed the athletic wear company Fabletics here and have earned a free outfit from people reading the post and signing up to try an outfit.

The social media health and wellness community helped me earn this outfit so I’m asking YOU to please help me gift some good karma to someone who can use it!

Let’s start February with some love!

Help spread the word about the #FabFebruary Giveaway

2/2 – 2/15.

See below for Giveaway details!  

Winner will be announced here on the blog on 2/16/16.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer:  This giveaway is not a sponsored giveaway by Fabletics or Just Fab Inc..  This giveaway is being hosted by me via this blog in an effort to truly spread some good karma in the universe.  The prize of one Fabletics outfit (valued at $49.95 + tax and applicable delivery charges) has been earned by readers signing up to try Fabletics clothing from the above linked post and in turn, I want to give back to my readers.  Please see Rafflecopter link above for complete giveaway details.

The post It’s A Fab February Giveaway appeared first on the valentine RD.

Just because you finish yoga teacher training doesn’t mean that you’re fully comfortable to actually do the teaching.  However, if you’re a new fitness or yoga instructor, you’re likely more ready than you think.

In order to help you feel a bit more confident about sharing the passion for something you love, I offer these

5 Tips For Teaching Your First Yoga Class

for Friday’s High Five:

1. 1.  Craft your sequence and write it down:

Yes, this is a little bit of “do what you were taught” and “do what you know”.  Through yoga teacher training you normally learn how a typical class is structured (introduction/intention setting, warm-up, Sun A/Sun B, peak poses, spine strengthening/balancing/hip openers, cool down/stretch, savasana).  If you’re uncomfortable with putting a sequence together, there are online references like Yoga Journal, LoveTeachingYoga.com (they even offer FREE PDF’s) and this great post by my friend Christine at LoveLifeSurf.com.  I recently ordered this great book by Mark Stephens, Yoga Sequencing: Designing Transformative Yoga Classes (affiliate link) which I’ll be referencing for future sequences because it didn’t arrive in time for my first class.

I emphasize writing down your sequence for 3 reasons, 1) because sometimes writing down a sequence helps you learn and remember what you’ve created, 2) it allows for easy edits and 3) because nerves sometimes get the better of you and you need a reference.  I’ve decided to keep a book of my sequences for future reference.

2.  Put a playlist together:

Find music that speaks to you but doesn’t alienate potential returning students.  I adore my 80’s music and let my students last night know that’s normally how I roll but I made it clear that since the class last night was not promoted as a New Wave themed class, I tried to make my playlist accessible to everyone.  I like music in general, so it wasn’t a huge stretch to include my favorite popular song of right this minute,  Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself” (admit it, you like it too).

Unless you’re promoting a music theme, make sure your music says something about you and your style but isn’t too one dimensional.  I did have a Duran Duran song on my playlist but not every song was a Duran Duran song (that’s for a future class).

As a music lover, it was difficult for me to admit but at this time in my teaching I needed to use instrumental music (or even no music at all) in the beginning of class.  I found that this helped students more fully tune into the class itself and allowed them to hear and connect with my voice as a guide.

For an hour long class, I used 11 songs.  To help guide and create mood throughout the class, I used an instrumental song after the introduction/warm-up section, slower paced songs in the beginning with a tempo build toward the half hour mark and then slowed the tempo down to toward savasana.  I did use a few songs from this playlist that I shared recently.

3.  Actively practice the flow to your playlist in your body and then separately teach the flow while using a stopwatch to time yourself.

When you practice a sequence in your own body, you might find that it doesn’t flow physically as it might have in your brain.  Writing that sequence down (in pencil!) and learning what works and what doesn’t allows for easy tweaks of poses or shuffle of flow.  Maybe while flowing you discover something else that needs to be added.  Physically practicing your flow may open up your sequence in a way you never imagined.

Practicing to your own playlist allows you to also see if your sequence matches your selections of music.  You may love a song but it might not work at the spot when it’s played.  I had to delete a few beloved songs off my playlist for this 60 minute sequence.  I’m certain that if I love a song, I’ll find a way to marry it to a sequence in the future but only until I did the flow in my own body with my music did I learn this!

Also, use a stopwatch to time yourself!  Teaching a class is not only about pace of sequence but it’s also how you cue as an instructor.  Allowing yourself to breathe and cue with the sequence you’ve created along while keeping time, allows you to know whether your sequence fits in your desired time frame.   Being too short in sequence is always better than going too long.

My class ended earlier than I expected last night but it was a good thing.  We had a song and half for savasana.  This allowed me to give an adjustment to all 13 attendees (!) in class and we were still done within the 60 minutes of allotted class time.  Few people object to a longer savasana but shortchange them, and you’ll likely hear about it.

4.  Ask a few friends to come to your first class.

Having a few friendly faces in the crowd might make a nerve wracking situation a little bit easier.  I had 13 people at my first class and was lucky to have 5 friends (including Chris@WhatIRunInto and Anne@AnneHogan.net) come out to support (it didn’t hurt that 3 of the friends were fellow Yoga Teacher Trainees).  It made my heart smile to know that there were people in the room who were literally there for me and were willing to sweat to show their support.

All 13 attendees from my Athleta Pasadena Vinyasa Yoga class on 1/28/16.

As a practicing yogi (and a human), I’ll admit that I’ve definitely harshly judged other yoga teachers in the past.  I do have a new appreciation for what a yoga teacher must do in order to create and lead a class.  However, I realize that just like I won’t always enjoy another teacher’s style, people might not always enjoy mine either.  Having a deck stacked for my first class wasn’t a bad way to make a debut.

Yes, I was dorky and asked everyone to take a photo to mark the first class occasion.

5.  Find the fun.

I’m a pretty high strung person and can easily find stress in places that don’t exist.  Finding fun is not as easy for me.  However, when it comes to yoga I’m trying very diligently to find enjoyment in teaching.  I’m not nervous about speaking in front of people and I don’t even care if people like me or not but I do care deeply about many things about being a yoga teacher (safe alignment, ability for students hear cues clearly, making sure that the flows make sense/aren’t too easy or difficult and for people to get what they want out of a class that I teach).  My caring deeply easily adds to my ability to overthink something that should be enjoyable.

Yoga should be fun (and safe, of course) and reminding myself of how much yoga has given to me allows me to take a step back, remove some of the stress and connect back to the reasons I’ve chosen not only to practice yoga but to teach yoga.  To me, yoga is fitness and mind/body/soul connectedness that is unlike any other form of exercise available.  I want to help spread that message while I teach.

I’ll never deny my anxiety as a person (and will likely utilize it as a teacher) but highlighting a connection with the fun and discovering the multiple beneficial layers of yoga without making it stressful is one of my goals as instructor.

Last night my friend Chris caught the above silly moment and I thought it was important to share it with anyone getting ready to teach their first yoga (or fitness) class – don’t forget to have some fun!  It’s yoga, people not contract negotiations!

There you have it – my 5 tips for teaching your first yoga (or fitness) class.  

What did I miss?  Tell me what you look for a fitness/yoga instructor?

Disclaimer:  There is one Amazon Affiliate link within this post (noted within the post).  If you buy this book from Amazon after clicking the link, I will earn a few pennies.  10% of any money earned through this link will be donated to charity in 2016.

The post 5 Tips For Teaching Your First Yoga Class appeared first on the valentine RD.

What’s strange is that I really do enjoy living here in Los Angeles.  I miss New York City but not enough to pick up the life I’ve established in Los Angeles and replant my roots.  To “go back” to New York at this point wouldn’t be “going back” at all.  My life is worlds different and even the apartment I left now belongs to other people.  I love going back to visit but I’m not going back to live there any time soon.

How long is the acceptable allotted time for transition when uprooting and rerooting oneself?  It’s been said that you become a native when you’ve lived somewhere for 20 years or more, so maybe I do have some more time left to fully adjust?

This week two different friends placed two different articles about being a transplanted New Yorker in Los Angeles on my Facebook wall: (see the Buzzfeed “8 Struggles of Being A New Yorker in LA here and the New Yorker article here).  It seemed like the universe was telling me that it’s the perfect time to share some of my views about being a New Yorker living in LA:

The weather:

LA wins.  While NYC is gorgeous in Spring and Fall, it’s rare.  New York City in August can be a cesspool (but I usually don’t mind it too much).  There’s an energy in New York in Summer that is hard to beat.  I enjoy watching winter storms from 3,000 miles away.  I never enjoyed the cold and now that I don’t have to do deal with it, I’m relieved.

The weather in Los Angeles is pretty wonderful 98% of the time. I’ve always had thin blood but now I get cold when the temperature dips below 68 degrees.  Unlike most who love the change of seasons, I don’t mind the 3 seasons in LA cool, hot and boiling. The lack of humidity makes it even a bit more bearable than expected.  It doesn’t hurt that the heaviest jacket I’ve worn in 3.5 years is an Old Navy zip-up fleece.  The fact that the kiddo gets to play outside and wear shorts 95% of the time is a plus (any parent of boys would definitely agree).

The food:

NY wins.  It’s not just the plethora of the types of food available in New York but it’s the ability to have your pick in a 3 block radius.  I miss delivery, food carts on every corner, bouncing from place to place and being able to split a bottle of wine (or 2), hop in a cab and go home.

In LA, there are good restaurants but they’re very spread out.  When you go to a restaurant (except in certain neighborhoods), it’s your destination for the night.  Thank goodness for Uber!  I’m certain the incidences of drunk driving in this town have gone down significantly since this ride-on-demand gained popularity in the recent past.

It’s said that the Food Truck movement was started in LA.  I beg to differ.  Fruit stands and coffee carts on the street corners of New York City were the predecessor to food trucks.  I will not be swayed on this point.

LA may be known for it’s “healthy food” but don’t underestimate the love of donuts here.  LA wins when it comes to Mexican and authentic Chinese food but New York makes up for it with Indian food, upscale and authentic Italian food, pizza, bagels and the ability to access any kind of food at any time via delivery or in person.

The geography and architecture:

NY wins.  Manhattan is about 33 square miles and Brooklyn is about 96 square miles (thank you, Google) but there’s so much crammed into these small spaces that it can almost overwhelm you with choice.  The words “geographically undesirable” can mean you don’t go anywhere downtown/uptown/over a bridge rather than a significant distance understood in 95% of the world.  The architecture in New York is also wonderful – majestic buildings, brownstones, gorgeous parks and fabulous bridges.  For such a small area, there’s so much to see and do.

LA is very different.   I tell people that LA is like New York smushed down and spread out.  There are gorgeous areas of Los Angeles but those beautiful areas can border areas without much architectural character (IMHO).  “Geographically undesirable” in LA can mean covering a 15 mile distance in an hour.  If you don’t live near the beach, it isn’t often you get to the beach.  However, Los Angeles has beach, mountains, city and “country” within a short distance.  There is a lot of character within Los Angeles but it takes time (and effort) to explore.

However, when it comes to living architecture, LA may edge out NY.  I’m not too miserable living in a house in Los Angeles with a backyard vs a 900 square foot apartment with loud and feisty neighbors on all sides.

The people:

A tie.  New York City is a melting pot.  Due to the smaller area of space and the population numbers, the many different cultures that make up New York City seem ubiquitous.  In Los Angeles, I believe that the geographical layout has a way of segregating cultures in a way that is different than New York.

People say New Yorkers are unfriendly, I never thought so but let’s just say I never really knew my neighbors in New York.  In LA, many of neighbors have become friends.  I’m lucky to call so many people friends in LA and New York.

LA is a transient city.  While I’ve met many people who were born and bred in Los Angeles, there are so many transplants from all over the country that it almost seems that no one is actually from Los Angeles.  I can see why so many people do move to LA though – it does have so much to offer, especially if you’re in….

The “Industry”:

LA, it’s all you.  New York is known to be the center of the universe in many circles but LA is the center of the entertainment industry.  During a scouting mission before moving here, we were at a coffee shop and the barista asked us, “Are you in “the industry” (quotes added by me)”?  Jay answered, “I’m in an industry…” because we had no idea what the barista was asking.  LA almost seems to exist solely for the entertainment industry.  As a huge consumer of many different entertainment streams, I’m appreciative of it’s existence but the way many of this city revolves around the entertainment industry is truly fascinating.

The bubble is an odd one.  The careers of many of the people I’ve met here in Los Angeles are connected in some way to entertainment and for the most part, it’s fine but it’s the sheer volume of actors/actresses/models and their focus on youth, beauty and fitness that is beyond comprehension for me.

New York is a chic place where fashion, youth, beauty and fitness also play a part but here in Los Angeles, it seems it’s just so more blatant – the noses, the teeth, the faces, the boobs – the everything is nipped, tucked, bleached, plumped, removed or refined etc.  While I’m certain there is a culture of plastic in New York, it’s just more visible here in Los Angeles.  To me, it’s disturbing when women find boob jobs at 18 and Botox at 25 a rite of passage.

The fitness:

For me, New York wins.  As a runner, there is nothing like running over the Brooklyn Bridge (see here for more NY running routes).  I’m also partial to the many fitness boutiques within walking (or subway distance) to one another.  I’m a city girl at heart and for me, New York will always be the city that helped me fall in love with fitness.

Don’t get me wrong, Los Angeles has weather where you can run or bike outside most days of the year.  Los Angeles is likely where more fitness trends are born than anyplace else.  Hiking is huge here but it holds absolutely no appeal to me at all.  I haven’t availed myself of the many (nearly year round) water sport activities like surfing or SUP because they’re not up my alley.  If you’re an outdoors fitness person, LA definitely is for you.  While boutique fitness is a booming industry in LA as well, the clusters of studios are only in certain areas and if you’re not in close proximity to those areas (or feel like driving to them), you’re SOL.

The travel:

LA might win.  Proximity to Vegas (I love Vegas for 72 hours tops), San Diego, San Francisco and Mexico hold sway for me.  The fact there are so many different areas to explore surrounding Los Angeles is very exciting and my family has enjoyed exploring quite a bit.  I could live without camping though.  Camping is a big thing here in Los Angeles.  I’ve done it a few times and while it’s OK, I definitely prefer hotels.

New York has upstate (which is nice), the Hamptons (not for me) and Fire Island (which I love) as well as the surrounding Tri-State area.  It’s not nearly as lovely as the surrounding areas of LA.  New York City has so much packed into it’s small square footage that you don’t often even have to leave the island of Manhattan to feel like you’re traveling.

The music:

LA wins.  There are a million clubs in New York and when I lived in New York I definitely went to concerts (as a teenager and as an adult).  However, since moving to Los Angeles, I feel like I’ve gotten the chance to see so many artists that I love in small (and large) venues in such a short span of time.  I’m not sure if it’s just that 80’s bands are having a second hey day right now or if it’s just that so many musicians live in Los Angeles but right now, my music life in LA is pretty sweet.

The fashion:

NY wins hands down.  Black clothing has always been my staple.  People in New York wear black clothing and for the most part, people in LA don’t (at least they don’t that often).  Whenever I go back to New York, one of the first sights of seeing people dressed in black puts me at ease.  It’s just a fact.

Yes, I have added a few colors to my wardrobe since moving to Los Angeles but there are a few things that I simply will not do – my ass will stay inside my shorts, Ugg boots will never be worn with shorts and skull caps will not be worn in weather above 40 degrees.

Transportation:

NY wins.  I had a driver’s license but only used it about a dozen times before I moved to Los Angeles.   The fact that I drive every.single.day is mind blowing to most people who know me.  To be honest, I still can’t believe that I drive every single day.  Most days, I don’t drive far but on the days that I do, it’s crazy.  Traffic patterns dictate life in Los Angeles.  15 miles can take well over an hour on the road in rush hour traffic (which lasts from about 6:30am – 10am and then from about 2:30-7:30).  The only good part about long trips are listening to music in the car.  I love any opportunity to listen to music.  However, LA radio has their favorite artists that they like to play often (but that’s a separate post for another time).

I may not have driven for many years but the amount and level of road rage that I can display would impress just about anyone. It’s amazing how quickly road rage can be acquired.  It’s fast and fierce.  When my child is in the car, it takes all of the strength I have to not give him a full education in every curse word I know.  He’s learned a few but not the gems.  Yet.

In New York, you walk.  I miss walking and I even miss the subway.  I was lucky enough to live close to 3 major subway hubs.  The Los Angeles Metro has a stop not far from my house but the Metro lines are just not as extensive as the NYC Subway system.  I don’t miss being body to body, being preached to or extensively hot subway stops on the NYC subways but I do miss the ability and convenience of public transportation (I was a lazy runner – I used to run the distance I wanted to cover and take the subway home often in NY).

Truth be told, until recently this was my driver’s license:

It’s a New York Driver’s License that happened to have my California address on it.  When I renewed my New York license in 2013, we still owned my Brooklyn apartment and since my California address (see the yellow arrow) was put on the license, I didn’t see the need to make any changes.  I’m lucky I wasn’t pulled over because California law requires you to change you license within 10 days of residence.

We sold our Brooklyn apartment in 2014 but I still couldn’t part with my New York license.

About a month ago, with 2015 turning into 2016, I figured it was time to make a deeper commitment to my new city.  I took the steps required (a written driver’s test) and said good bye to my nearly 20 year old photo (and a license without my weight advertised).

According to my identification, I’m officially a California resident. It’s still very strange and even though I’ve lived here for nearly 4 years, it still doesn’t feel real.

Did my forehead become ginormous or what?!

I’m very happy living in Los Angeles but there will always be a part of me that will identify with #heartinNYbodyinLA.

Does your state list your weight on your Driver’s License? 

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