Why? IPM’s Namaste Giveaway!

I promised you five awesome giveaways for Cleveland events and here is number two! On Friday, April 26, International Partners in Mission is holding its Namaste benefit to raise money for IPM’s projects serving women and children around the world.

From China to Lebanon to right here in Cleveland, IPM’s programs make a difference in the lives of those in need of aid and of hope. Two of IPM’s local projects are Esperanza Threads, in which low-income women sew made-to-order clothing, and the Interfaith Hospitality Network, which provides meals and temporary housing for the homeless.

When I was first invited to this event and heard that it was called Namaste, the yogi in me was very excited. Namaste is a standard at the end of most yoga classes and means “the light in me honors the light in you.” That’s a pretty inspiring statement! And while there won’t be any yoga at the Namaste benefit, I can’t promise I won’t be tempted to bust out a downward-facing dog.

So, what is on the agenda for Namaste? Tasty food from Clark Pope Catering (you Fresh Fork-ers will recognize Clark from the delicious sauces and jams in our shares), a chance to learn more about IPM’s Immersion Experience Program, global music, and a silent auction filled with wonderful prizes. Plus, a chance to check out the newly-opened Ariel International Center, with gorgeous views of the Cleveland skyline and Lake Erie.

Tickets for Namaste are $40 for first-time attendees, $50 for return attendees, and $100 for VIP and can be purchased by clicking here. Or you can enter to win two tickets right here.

Here’s how to enter (leave a SEPARATE comment for each entry):

1. Check out International Partner’s in Mission’s website and leave a comment letting me know one thing you learned about IPM’s work.

2. Tweet the following phrase and leave a comment letting me know you tweeted:

I want to experience global culture and help a global mission by attending #IPMNamaste from @WhyCLE: http://wp.me/p1fb9r-1ou

You can tweet daily for additional entries, just leave a separate comment each time you tweet.

The giveaway will close on Monday, April 8 at 11:59pm and the winner will be announced the following day. Good luck!

***Disclosure: I was asked by International Partners in Mission to help promote Namaste. In exchange, I will receive two tickets for myself and two tickets to give away. All images in this post were provided by IPM. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

Why? Market at the Foodbank Giveaway!

Since 1979, the Cleveland Foodbank has been serving our community and working to eradicate hunger. With a state-of-the-art warehouse facility, a brand new phone bank to help register people for the food stamp benefits they deserve, and an ambitious list of programs and meal goals, the Foodbank continues to raise the bar on doing good in Cleveland.

Image Source – clevelandfoodbank.org

As part of the annual Harvest for Hunger campaign, the Cleveland Foodbank is hosting a fundraiser known as Market at the Foodbank. On Sunday, April 14, the Foodbank’s warehouse will be filled with with tasty bites, delicious beverages, and wonderful auction items, all to raise money for Harvest for Hunger.

Image Source – clevelandfoodbank.org

Participating restaurants include AMP 150, the Zack Bruell Group restaurants, Press Wine Bar, Spice Kitchen and Bar, and many more. Auction items range from box seats to sporting events to a private tour of the Cleveland Whiskey distillery. This event is not to be missed!

Image Source – clevelandfoodbank.org

Beyond just the culinary delights and great prizes at Market at the Foodbank, the feeling you’ll get from knowing you are benefiting an organization dedicated to serving one of the most basic human needs is invaluable. As a council member for the Cleveland Foodbank’s YP Pantry and a regular Foodbank volunteer, I can tell you the satisfaction from helping this worthwhile organization is truly beyond measure.

Image Source – cleveland.com

Tickets for Market at the Foodbank are $85 for regular admission if purchased by March 31 or $175 for VIP admission. To purchase tickets, click here. Or you can enter here to win 2 regular admission tickets! Here’s how to enter (leave a SEPARATE comment for each entry):

1. Check out the complete list of participating Market at the Foodbank restaurants and tell me which you’re most excited to try.

2. Follow @CleveFoodbank and @WhyCLE on Twitter and leave one comment letting me know you’re following both.

3. Tweet the following phrase and leave a comment letting me know you tweeted:

I want to win tickets #MarketatFB to benefit @CleveFoodbank from @WhyCLE: http://wp.me/p1fb9r-1o1

You can tweet daily for additional entries, just leave a separate comment each time you tweet.

The giveaway will close on Monday, April 1 at 11:59pm and the winner will be announced the following day. Good luck! And stay tuned: this is the first of FIVE awesome event ticket giveaways coming up on Why CLE!

***Disclosure: I was asked by the Cleveland Foodbank to help promote Market at the Foodbank. In exchange, I will receive 2 regular admission tickets for myself and 2 regular admission tickets to give away. I am also a council member for the Cleveland Foodbank YP Pantry. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

Why? Bright Pink!

One of the great things about this blog is getting a chance to spotlight organizations and people who are making a difference in Cleveland. Today I want to share with you a “blog-terview” with Betsy Coy, a Cleveland native who is starting the local chapter of the national Bright Pink organization. This seems especially appropriate today, since it’s International Women’s Day, too!

Image Source – pinterest.com/source/brightpink.org

What is Bright Pink?

Bright Pink is the only national non-profit organization focusing on the risk reduction and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer in young women while providing support for high-risk individuals. It is an organization that strongly believes in empowering young women to be proactive advocates for their health. Bright Pink hopes to educate young women to develop and live by a personalized breast and ovarian cancer risk reduction or early detection strategy. We do this by hosting Breast Ovarian Health workshops. Our first one is scheduled for mid-June at Athleta at Beachwood Place.

The workshops help participants learn the basics about breast and ovarian cancer and why it is so important that we, as young women, start to be proactive with our health. They are one-hour, interactive workshops that help young women understand what these cancers are, lifetime risk, and how to be proactive with their health. Our support arm is centered in Experiential Outreach Groups, which are Bright Pink’s version of a support group. These gatherings bring young women at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer together for a fun activity, like a yoga class or pottery painting, and facilitated discussion about a topic related to being young at high risk.

Image Source – pinterest.com/source/brightpink.org

What inspired you to get involved with this organization?

I became involved in Bright Pink when I found out I was positive for the BRCA1 gene mutation about 3 years ago. I have a long family history of cancer. After my dad passed away from Pancreatic cancer 6 years ago, I started digging further into my family’s history. There are so many cancers on my dad’s side (breast, ovarian and pancreatic). I shared my worries with my internist who suggested I have genetic testing to find out if I was at a higher risk. It’s a scary thing to learn that your risk of cancer is so elevated. Women with the BRCA1 mutation have up to an 86% lifetime risk for breast cancer and up to a 46% lifetime risk for ovarian cancer.

During that time, I found Bright Pink. The women of Bright Pink really helped me feel comfortable with the facts I was facing and the decisions I was making. I chose to have a prophylactic double mastectomy with reconstruction. I also had a prophylactic oophrectomy to control my risk for ovarian cancer. My risk for both is now reduced to 1-2%. I have served as a Pink Pal for Bright Pink and really wanted to help bring an in person group to Cleveland. We started out as an “ally city” for the national organization and they just notified us that they are making us an official Chapter!

Tell us about Bright Pink’s upcoming events.

We have formed a team for the Cleveland Half Marathon. We are doing amazingly well with recruiting runners and fundraising. We have 20 runners already! We are certainly open to having other runners join our team, but are also going to need some people that will be on the route to cheer on our team. If there is an interest in supporting us financially, money can be donated through our half-marathon fundraising site.

Image Source – pinterest.com/source/bebrightpink.org

Also, on Sunday, April 7, we are going to have a “Turn Cleveland Bright Pink” event. We will plan a meeting for others to learn about what Bright Pink has to offer in Cleveland. We’ll have some food and drinks. Then, we are going to send people out to turn the town Bright Pink. We have mapped out coffee shops, libraries, and gyms around town (east, west, north and south) and are going to canvas the town to hang up posters. Stay tuned to our Facebook page for more information!

What’s been the most rewarding part of Bright Pink? What’s been the most challenging?

The most rewarding part of Bright Pink is meeting and interacting with the women involved. Through this process, I have met the most amazing women! First, it is a fantastic feeling to be able to be a support for women who are BRCA positive and high risk. It’s also great to help educate women about their risk and how to be proactive.

It has been challenging to get the word out to people in Cleveland. People hear breast cancer or ovarian cancer and think that we’re just another cancer organization. Not so! At Bright Pink, we believe that knowledge is power, that information is beneficial, not burdensome. The more you know about breast and ovarian cancer, the better equipped you are to live proactively. Being Bright Pink is not just about being aware; it’s about taking action.

How can we get involved? What can we do to help Bright Pink?

I’m looking to reach out to two groups of women. First: young women between the ages of 18 – 45 years old who are at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer based upon a family history, previous cancer diagnosis or genetic predisposition. Second: any other young women who are interested in being proactive with their health and helping us turn Cleveland Bright Pink. Because all women have at least a 1 in 8 chance of developing breast cancer, the Bright Pink message of being proactive is universal to all young women.

Anyone interested in participating in an experiential outreach, learning about our Breast and Ovarian Health seminars or just volunteering with us, should contact us at Cleveland@bebrightpink.org

Image Source – facebook.com

Much thanks to Betsy for sharing her story! Hopefully you all are as inspired as I am and will be helping to turn Cleveland Bright Pink!

Why? Friday Inspiration!

***A bit of blogkeeping: Have you entered to win the girls’ night out giveaway for tickets to see Spank! The Fifty Shades Parody at Playhouse Square? Click here to check it out! Remember, you can tweet daily for additional entries.

Also, I feel a bit like Hilary Swank at the Oscars in that I forgot to thank my talented, patient, and all-around amazing husband, who drew the Cleveland skyline that Carrie turned into the new blog header. Whoops!***

It’s been awhile since I did a Friday Inspiration post, but just after the new year, something came my way that I knew I had to share. Through my role on the board of the John Carroll Cleveland Alumni Chapter, I heard about alumnus Pete Pappas, class of ’92. Pete’s mother, Zenny, is fighting a battle with stage 4 terminal pancreatic cancer. While the doctors gave Zenny 3-6 months to live when she was diagnosed, she has entered her 14th month of this battle.

The most powerful things to me is how Pete describes his mother’s attitude, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, including recent scans showing that Zenny’s cancer has spread:

But not a single time have I heard my mom complain about any of it. Not one time. I’ve seen her cry of course. But I’ve seen her laugh far more often. My mom doesn’t mourn cancer. She fights it. And for every precious moment of life she has, I know she is profoundly grateful.

To be sure, she’s always been like that. It’s who she is. And even the scourge of cancer can’t take that from her. I’ve honestly never witnessed someone with as much heart as my mom has, on so many levels.

Pete also created this moving video tribute to his mother.

Pete is hosting an online fundraiser to help raise money for his mother’s treatment. You can find out more information about Zenny and donate to help her fight pancreatic cancer by clicking here. Please consider donating to Zenny’s fundraiser. Regardless, Zenny and Pete appreciate your good thoughts and prayers.

I know there are many stories like Zenny’s out there. Hers came my way and Pete’s heartfelt request to help his mother, “his only family,” spoke to me deeply. At John Carroll, we were taught to be men and women for others. Pete certainly exemplifies that in his care for his mother.

***Disclosure: I am a board member for the John Carroll Cleveland Alumni Chapter, which is how I came to hear of Pete’s fundraiser. The decision to post about the fundraiser is my own and should not be taken as a sign of direct affiliation with John Carroll University. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

Why? Staging Success: The Playhouse Square Story!

On Wednesday night, Matthew and I attended an advanced screening of “Staging Success: The Playhouse Square Story” and last night, it aired on WVIZ.

“Staging Success” tells the remarkable story of the rise, fall, and revitalization of the Playhouse Square theaters. In the early 1970′s, Ray Shepardson and the Junior League of Cleveland spearheaded an effort to reopen the theaters of Playhouse Square, which closed in the late 1960′s and had fallen into disrepair.

At the time, this was a major battle, as people in the area boasted of not going anywhere near downtown Cleveland. There was not a great sense of pride in the city. Slowly but surely, Playhouse Square raised the funds, refurbished the theaters, and reopened the doors to the performing arts in Cleveland.

Image Source – playhousesquare.org

One thing that really stuck me during “Staging Success” was that the theaters did not reopen to the public until the early 1980′s. I can remember going to Playhouse Square every Christmas with my mom and aunts to see “The Nutcracker” or “A Christmas Carol.” To me, the theaters have always been part of living in Cleveland, so the fact that they were almost razed for parking lots and the fact that they just reopened within my lifetime took me aback.

The revitalization of Playhouse Square took nearly 30 years from when the theaters closed to when the last refurbished theater, the Allen Theater, reopened. And Playhouse Square invested not only in the theaters, but in the neighborhood, developing hotels, restaurants, and offices to give the area strong economic roots.

Progress takes time, but with dedication and commitment from concerned citizens, business leaders, and the government, it can happen. The concerned citizens come first, though. Ray Shepardson fell in love with the theaters of Playhouse Square and sparked a fire in the community about saving them from destruction. As Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Image Source – east4thstreet.com

To that end, we in Cleveland have a lot to be proud of with how far the city has come. “Staging Success” quoted one Clevelander as saying that the joke used to be that you could roll a bowling ball down Euclid Avenue without hitting anyone. Now, from Playhouse Square to East 4th Street to Midtown and all over Cleveland, there are people and businesses and arts and life. Do we have progress still to be made? Absolutely. But “Staging Success” reminded me that (1) progress does take time and (2) it is 100% possible.

Did you see “Staging Success?” Were you as inspired as I was? To learn more about the history of Playhouse Square, click here. Or tune into encores of “Staging Success” on WVIZ tonight at 9pm, Sunday, November 18 at 4pm, or Thanksgiving night at 10pm.

***I was invited by Playhouse Square to attend a complimentary screening of “Staging Success: The Playhouse Square” story with a guest. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

Why? A Cleveland-Themed Book Club!

For about three years now, some of my girlfriends and I have been meeting monthly for Book Club. These evenings usually involve a lot of wine, food, and girl talk, with varying levels of actually talking about the book. We’ve read everything from “The Help” to “Three Cups of Tea” to “The Hunger Games.”

This past month’s book club, we read “Gilded Age” by Claire McMillan.

Image Source – davidabramsbooks.blogspot.com

The novel is a take on Edith Wharton’s “The House of Mirth.” Set in Cleveland, “Gilded Age” follows Ellie Hart as she moves back to her hometown after a scandalous divorce and attempts to reestablish herself in Cleveland society. There is of course a lively cast of characters, from smarmy suitors to dirty mistresses, to add to the plot.

There are also lots of familiar Cleveland scenes, such as Severance Hall, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and Cedar-Fairmount that add to being able to really picture what’s happening in the novel.

When we selected this book, I tweeted about reading it for book club and Claire McMillan responded that she has been stopping by book clubs to chat with her readers. Oh, the power of social media! Of course, I jumped at the chance to have the author join us to discuss the book.

As we chatted and ate and drank wine, we found out more about what inspired Claire in writing this book. A confirmed Edith Wharton lover, Claire wanted to pay homage to her favorite writer. She also wanted to set the book in Cleveland. Though not a native, Claire has grown to love her adopted city and wants to celebrate it on a national level. Claire told us that many of her readers around the country really respond to her description of Cleveland and feel like it could be their city too. There’s something unique and yet universal about it.

Claire was kind enough to sign my friend Jennifer’s book (the only one of us who didn’t use an e-reader) and also brought me a lovely present which will be my next read: “Rust Belt Chic: The Cleveland Anthology,” full of essays by Cleveland writers.

More than anything else, what I really responded to in “Gilded Age” was the idea of wanting (choosing!) to come back home to Cleveland. Multiple characters throughout the novel returned to this city. And this paragraph from “Gilded Age” definitely got me choked up:

Everyone I know in Cleveland went away to college, found a spouse, maybe lived in a larger city for awhile, but eventually they moved home. They chose to come back. When you do, it’s because you’ve lived anonymously long enough. You want to come back to the place where people know you and your mother and your grandmother, and probably even your great-grandmother...

You return because a hundred years ago Cleveland’s iron and steel barons built the neoclassical art museum, and John Severance built his wedding tribute of a concert hall. The Terminal Tower, formerly the tallest building outside New York, still looks proud. You return because the brownfields are slowly being turned into urban gardens, and Tremont hasn’t lost its bohemian blue-collar vibe…You love the huge white windmill that churns next to Browns Stadium right on the edge of Lake Erie, not far from the closed steel mills. It’s Cleveland’s beacon to those who want to move forward, to change…

From “Gilded Age” by Claire McMillan, Chapter 8, pages 95-96, copyright 2012, Simon & Schuster.

It was amazing to read in a novel so much of what I felt when I moved back to Cleveland. I also know the ladies I spent the evening with for book club are part of my reason for coming back to this city!

Much thanks to Claire McMillan for joining us for our book club. Check out “Gilded Age” and immerse yourself in a lovely story set in a very familiar place.

Why? Waverly Station!

***A bit of blogkeeping: Have you entered to win 2 tickets to the CCFA Movie Gala at the Capitol Theater? Click here to enter! Remember, you can tweet and share on Facebook once a day for additional entries.***

You’ve got to love when an entire neighborhood comes together to make a project successful. On Wednesday night, I attended the “Dusty Boot Tour” of the brand new Waverly Station Townhomes being built at the corner of West 57th and Bridge Avenue.

Phase 1, currently under construction and consisting of 6 townhomes is already sold out. Construction is starting soon on Phase 2, which will consist of 8 townhomes. All told, the development will ultimately have 22 units.

The townhomes have beautiful open floor plans and rooftop decks with great views of the city.

Plus, the development is eco-friendly and energy efficient, using some of the newest building materials available to ensure environmentally-friendly buildings.

After getting to walk through the new construction, a couple of Waverly Station’s neighbors treated us to some of the delicious food the area has to offer: hot dogs from Happy Dog and ice cream from Sweet Moses!

We also got to hear from Cleveland Ward 15 Councilman Matt Zone; Detroit Shoreway Executive Director Jeff Ramsey; Michael DeCesare, the builder for Waverly Station; and Scott Phillips from Keller Williams Realty, who is clearly doing their job and then some selling the Waverly Station townhomes.

Everyone who addressed the group that night talked about wanting to continue the revitalization of the neighborhood and how, with new developments like Waverly Station, the Gordon Square area is flourishing with restaurants, shops, theater, and young active residents.

There was a true sense of the community being behind the new Waverly Station development and it’s amazing to think that where a blighted, unused store once stood, 22 new townhomes will soon thrive. During his speech, Councilman Zone introduced us to the Simmons couple, who have lived in the neighborhood for 52 years.

They have seen a lot of changes and have consistently worked to improve and strengthen their community. If you’re in the market, Waverly Station looks to be a beautiful place to live. But even if you’re not, you have to appreciate what this development will add to the community and admire the true teamwork and support it receives.

***Disclosure: I was invited by Nadine at Keller Williams Realty to attend the Waverly Station Dusty Boot Tour. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

Why? Progressive Arts Alliance!

Progressive Arts Alliance is celebrating 10 years of bringing amazing arts education into schools. I had the opportunity to interview Tammy Zelwin, a teacher in one of Progressive Arts Alliance’s (PAA) partner classrooms. Read on to find out more about the great work this organization is doing and how you can help!

Why CLE: Where and what grades do you teach? Tell me a bit about your school.

Tammy: I teach grades 6, 7, and 8 math at Orchard STEM School in Cleveland Metropolitan School District. My school is a Pre-K to 8th grade school that integrates Problem-Based Learning (PBL) with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) units. PBL is real-life problems that students face that are curriculum-based and require students to think outside the box in order to solve.

Why CLE: How does PAA work with Orchard STEM School to enhance your curriculum?

Tammy: The PAA artists work with the teachers (in my case team of teachers since we are departmentalized in the middle grades) to plan out a unit or project that we all want to do. It is a collaborative process, led by both the teachers at Orchard and the artists at PAA. It is driven by the curriculum. PAA brings an aspect to the unit that the school could not provide on its own. PAA artists also bring and enhance a skill set that in some cases may not exist if they were not there.

Image Souce – paalive.org

Why CLE: What types of activities/programs does PAA do in your school?

Tammy: PAA has done all types of work with the students in the school. They have done web page design, documentary work, dance, 3 dimensional sculpture making, work with architects and product designers, musical production (mixing beats and break dancing), collaboration with PBS to document the What’s Going On Now: 40 Years after Marvin Gaye, etc.

Why CLE: Can you share a PAA success story that you’ve seen in the classroom?

Tammy: The 8th graders that worked on the PBS documentary went into the neighborhood to showcase some of the issues that they thought needed to be addressed: crime, poverty, death, etc. The students felt that they had a voice in their community in a way that they may never have had in the past. They also enjoyed working with PAA artists on this unit and asked nearly every day if the artist was returning.

Similarly, the 7th graders were given the task of creating a documentary about a greenhouse that was donated to the school. The students worked with two PAA artists to learn how to conduct interviews, created a documentary and actually constructed the greenhouse (with help from PAA), all the while documenting the process with cameras and video equipment. It was a year-long unit. At the annual Science Technology Engineering Arts and Math (STEAM) Festival in May, the project won second place to all of the participating schools in the district.

The 6th graders made locker organizers with the assistance of a product designer. She had another designer come to the classroom to judge the designs and the winner was invited to visit a product design firm in Chagrin Falls. There they saw what designers do in the real world. The students also were able to showcase their design to the firm. They enjoyed the experience very much.

Image Source – paalive.org

Why CLE: How do the students respond to PAA?

Tammy: The response is unanimously positive. The kids love working with the artists. I worked with three different artists in three totally different capacities and the response was very positive. The kids loved when the artists came to visit and loved the units that they were working on.

Why CLE: Describe PAA’s impact/influence on your students.

Tammy: The impact that PAA has had has been incredible. I have really enjoyed working with them on several levels. It has made me want to be more creative in the units that I teach my students. It has also made the students more creative. They would not have been able to do ANY of these projects had it not been for PAA. I could not have done them on my own. The work we have done together is invaluable. The kids have mentioned wanting to become a product designer. They have also been exposed to positive role models (and they recognized this exposure verbally). It has made the students see more of a connection between math and the arts in their various forms.

Why CLE: Why do you think PAA is important and successful in the classroom?

Tammy: PAA has upped the ante not only on how I teach, but the products that I expect my students to create. It has been a life force for the arts curriculum in the middle grades as well as in the school in general. Without PAA, I worry about making some of the projects that I do as interesting as they can be. I really love the collaboration that we have with them and hope that it continues for a long time in the future.

Image Source – paalive.org

On Saturday, August 11, PAA will be hosting “10 Years of Rhapsody: A Progressive Arts Alliance Celebration” at House of Blues Cleveland. This event is a celebration of the great work that PAA does, but also a fundraiser to help keep that great work going in classrooms and for students just like Tammy’s.

Grandmaster Flash will be spinning tunes for a dance party, the Corporate Cleveland Dance Crew challenge will take place, PAA All-Stars will perform, and more!

Image Source – paalive.org

Tickets are just $25 for general admission, $50 for VIP Lounge Balcony access, and $150 for an all-access pass. For details on the different ticket levels and to purchase, click here. It’s sure to be a hip-hoppin’ night supporting a wonderful organization that does great work for kids!

To read more about PAA and the fun planned for the 10 Years of Rhapsody party, check out these posts from Clue Into Cleveland and SMITTEN…in Cleveland.

Why? Five Things This Friday!

It’s been a long week, CLE and finally the promise of the weekend and beautiful weather seems to be here. So, let’s keep it light and breezy with Five Things This Friday!

1. You’ve probably already seen it, but it bears repeating. Check out Michael Symon’s awesome love letter to the city of Cleveland. As a two-time boomerang, so much of this rang especially true for me!

Image Source – cleveland.com

2. Looking for something fun and inexpensive for your Friday night? Check out the FiveOne Experimental Orchestra tonight (May 18) at 8:30pm at The Sculpture Center on East 123rd Street. They will be performing “Like She Said, Everything’s Fine,” a psychoacoustic piece. Admission is only $3!

3. Mondays suck, but free cookies make even Mondays better! This Monday, May 21 the DoubleTree by Hilton “Little Things Project” is coming to Willard Park from 11am-5pm. There will be free cookies, free wi-fi, a laptop/cell phone charging station, and deals to CLE attractions.

There will also be a DoubleTree “Swarm Car” delivering requested little things to lucky folks who tweet to @doubletree using the hashtag #littlethings.

4. Tuesday, May 22, Pier W is hosting a Mad Men happy hour. Aside from the normal fabulous happy hour deals, there will be giveaways and prizes for the best dressed. So break out your 60′s attire and head on over! For more info, click here.

5. Tomorrow is my Bachelorette Party! Woo-hoo! I encourage you to take my tweets and Facebook posts tomorrow with this information in mind.

Image Source – umbrellagrouplv.com

What are your Five Things This Friday?

***Disclosure: I was asked by DoubleTree to help promote the Little Things event. In exchange, I was invited to ride along in the Swarm Car, but declined due to scheduling conflicts. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

Why? 6 Days of Yoga!

Just about a month ago, Kimberly from Smitten…in Cleveland and I bought month-long unlimited passes at Nishkama Yoga. I was maintaining a twice-per-week schedule. Then, on Monday, I met up with Kimberly for her first ever Nishkama Vinyasa Flow class. Well, clearly Bethany did something to our brains. Because when we left the class, Kimberly suggested we get as much bang for our buck by going to class every day this week. And I agreed.

Our six day yoga-thon is not complete yet. We have class this morning and then a class on Saturday to help celebrate Nishkama North Olmsted’s grand opening. Side note: There are free classes all day Saturday, plus a taco bar and a raffle to benefit the APL! Get the details here.

But, through these last four days, I’ve learned a lot about yoga and about how these lessons tie to life in general. Or maybe I just realized somethings I already knew…

Dress for success. I made it through this week with the help of some new lululemon gear. Feeling cute while being sweaty helps.

Image Source – therisinghollywood.com

There are days that are just hard and there are days when you kick (yogi) butt. After Tuesday’s class, Kimberly and I looked at each other like we were ready to give up. But we came back again on Wednesday and felt like rock stars.

When something great happens, it’s best to have girlfriends nearby to share it with. Near the end of Monday’s class, I got my heels down to the mat in downward facing dog, multiple times. I immediately shouted out this news to Bethany (our teacher) and Kimberly. I blame this euphoria for why I agreed to the yoga-thon. And I’ve gotten those heels down every day this week.

Share your practice with people who care about and support you. The teachers at Nishkama know you and they know your practice. They can see your advancement and they know your weak spots. They will be your Facebook friends. They are awesome women.

Utkatasana is the worst word in the world.This is Sanskrit for “Chair Pose.” I hate this pose. There is no amount of strength or yogi grace to get me through it easily. I just have to grit my teeth and do it.

Image Source – orthozane.com

Assists from your teacher are sometimes tough. They push you further into a pose, make you go a little deeper and work a little harder. I cannot get through Reverse Warrior in Ylonda’s class without her sitting on my bent leg. We both know it’s going to happen. And as much as it can be tough, I know she does it because she cares about my practice.

You can do the thing you never thought you’d do. If you had asked anyone who knows me if I’d be a confirmed yogi, they would have said no. I would have told you the same thing. I never thought I’d even know what Plough Pose was, much less hang out in it for extended periods of time. We all have so much strength in so many different ways. All you have to do is shut out everything else and tap into it.

If you spend six days in a row practicing yoga with someone, your friendship will be cemented. It’s cemented by laughter, grunts of frustration, sweat, yogi highs and hazes, and the promise of patio cocktails when it’s all over.

As I walked into the studio yesterday morning, I saw this sign:

It says, “On this path, no effort is wasted and there is no failure. Even a little effort will yield protection from fear.” I definitely found that to be true during my yoga-thon!

Do you yoga? What have you learned from the practice?