Thursday, June 27, 2013

Flash Cards, Fancy Cheap Eats, and New Brooks

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Hi guys!

Yesterday was my rest day, so I just foam rolled, sticked, and stretched a bit. Oh, and watched a lecture and made piles and piles of flash cards, as I've been doing all day every day since I started studying for the bar. So many notecards, so little time!


Each stack is 1-2 inches thick. Yes, I need to (try to) memorize all that by the end of July, plus the three weeks more of lecture material I still have coming. Operation: Learn ALL the law!

Unfortunately I got a bit behind because I spent most of the morning reading legal analysis of the DOMA and Prop 8 Supreme Court decisions. I was so incredibly excited that the Supreme Court struck down DOMA!!!

Quick law talk: the ruling doesn't mean that gay marriage is legal; it means that the federal government recognizes gay marriages from states where gay marriage is legal. And, unfortunately, it's not clear that states will have to recognize gay marriages from other states because that part of DOMA was not challenged.

But it does mean that people like Sourabh's friend, whose husband was kept in Canada for months because he could not get a visa, will no longer be separated. I was tearing up as I read some of the language of the opinion because this issue is particularly close to my heart. I not only have close friends and relatives who are gay, I'm part of an interracial couple. Just over 40 years ago, Sourabh and I could not have married. It was a Supreme Court opinion in 1967, Loving v. Virginia, that proclaimed that laws banning interracial marriage were unconstitutional. Yesterday felt like another important step in equality for all loving couples.


New Shoes!
In less life-altering but still running blog newsworthy news... I bought a new pair of long run shoes yesterday!


BOOM. Brooks Adrenaline 13's!! I had the 11's and really liked them, so I'm super excited to try these  out on my long run Friday morning. Or this morning for an easy run, since I have no patience.

I also tried on a pair of Hokas for fun since I'd read about them on several other blogs. They were crazy! I felt like I was walking on pillows and my legs seemed to turn out a bit. Ultimately it felt a bit too different for me -- I don't want to totally change my gait as I start marathon training. But I'd love to try them out further at some point.


"Cheap" Eats at Fancy Restaurants
We rarely have a weekday off together, so Sourabh and I also went out to lunch at one of our favorite Indian restaurants in the city, Junoon. They have this awesome $20 thali platter where you get several different curries, lentils, raita (yogurt), and bread and rice. It's a Michelin-starred restaurant that's normally quite expensive, so this weekday lunch deal is amazing. I got the vegetarian platter and Sourabh got the non-vegetarian.

A lot of the "top" restaurants in New York have much less expensive weekday prix fixe lunch specials. I've taken my family to some amazing restaurants where we've spent less than $50 per person, tax included, when a meal is normally $100+ each at these places. For example, Del Posto and Jean Georges are $39 and $38, while dinner is $115 and $118, respectively. If you're visiting New York, it's definitely worth checking out!


I was roundly mocked for the food picture. Whatevah, Sourabh, I do what I want. Also, c'mon, the presentation is great.


Cool New App!
Something all you iPhone users might want to know about: Tempo Run. It helps you sync up music to the pace you're running. It sounds amazing and I want it terribly, but it's not on Android yet! Get on that, people. If anyone gets it on their iPhone, let me know what I'm missing.


Do you have any dining out tips? Do you feel like a super hero when the song you're listening to syncs to your foot beats?

12 comments:

  1. Please update on how you like the 13's. I had the 11s and LOVED LOVED them, and while I really like the 12s, they just aren't the same as the 11s were to me.

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    1. Ran 5 miles in them this morning and really liked them! Will report back further after a long run tomorrow :)

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  2. I think blurred lines is my new favorite running song. I'm already building my marathon playlist for this fall so I'm ready! haha :)

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    1. Same!! You need it for training runs, right? :)

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  3. OK, so even though I didn't help you with the sneakers (boo), I fully approve of the Adrenaline's. Those will be great, cushy, and comfortable shoes for marathon training. :)

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    1. Glad I got the seal of approval!! They seemed nice this AM :)

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  4. You can have my iPhone and test it out. You may also keep it after. :)

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  5. I'm going to have to check out tempo run!

    yay for new kicks!

    and YAY FOR DOMA.

    you'll have to let me know how the flashcard thing works out for bar studying. ugh, not looking forward to that.

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    1. It sounds SO cool. Let me know if it works!

      My close friend said flash cards were how she learned everything, and I memorize things in a similar way, so I figure it should work out ok. But egads the bar is the wooooorst.

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  6. hey - so (and maybe this question is a lot trickier than I realize it is)... what do you look for in shoes when you buy a new pair?

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    1. That's actually a very detailed question!! I look for light but somewhat supportive shoes for shorter and faster runs, supportive and cushioned shoes for long runs, and flexible and stabilizing shoes for cross-training (weights, classes, etc). My friend Carrie (fitnessandfrozengrapes.com) is now working at Jack Rabbit and could probably give you some great details. Want to email me and I could set you two up to chat more?

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