The crisp side of cool

This title could refer to so many things (after typing it I immediately thought of a cucumber or a chilled radish), yet rather than keep anyone guessing, it is appropriately referring to the temperature I experienced while running this evening.  This was my fourth time employing the chi running techniques and I felt a dramatic shift with tonight's run.  It was, in a sense, a sublime experience.  The weather played a major role with the delightful nature of the run.   The crisp side of cool actually felt like I was enveloped in morning dew but without the moisture touching my skin.  That is about as close as I can come to describing it without saying something tangible like imagine a cool washcloth, with all the water wrung out, placed on your skin, now picture a giant washcloth that is placed all over body.  However, when the washcloth is removed, you are still dry but pleasantly cool.  Don't forget a slight breeze in between the washcloth and your skin.  There you have it- a crisp side of cool.  I sure am going to miss running in the evening time. 

Part of the dramatic shift had to do with the style of running and the ability to feel like I am beginning to pick up the technique of chi running.  I picked up the pace considerably since the last run, as well as a touch of distance, clocking in at 44 minutes for a 5.4 mile run.  That is a little over 8 minutes per mile, with hills, at a effortless stride.  That is a whole minute per mile difference from the last time I went running.  And my calves were not dominating my thought process, until the very end..  How exciting! 

I went for the running/yoga combo again and I am thinking it might be the last time of that particular order.  My body seems to enjoy yoga first a lot more than yoga second to running, especially if its very shortly after and a class that is primarily focused on hip opening, legs, and forward bends.  Thankfully the particular class was not quite as challenging as previous encounters have been, so I managed to keep a steady breath and solid engagement.  I missed yoga yesterday (Thur) so now I am going to double up tomorrow to keep the "yoga every day in June" trend continuing.  Wed night's class with Jodi at Shanti Yoga Studio was exhilarating and challenging.  At one point while practicing handstand at the wall, she turned into drill sergeant Petlin and had us kick up to the wall with our lead leg immediately coming back down, followed by kicking up with the other leg and immediately bringing that leg down.  So you would kick up and come down, then switch, one leg at a time, while she quickened the pace with a commanding voice.  Aside from all of that- whenever the twisting triangle is introduced, especially in sequence with half moon pose, the practice is elevated.  It reminds me of learning a swan dive at the pool, as soon as you've got it down, suddenly you find yourself on the high dive board and off you go. 

Yesterday I assisted preparing a vegan dish from a vegan cookbook that consisted of Blue Corn Hempeh, Mushroom Gravy, Mustard Sauce, Kale, Tomato Pudding, and Mashed Potatoes.  I can only guess what you are thinking, but the dish was actually very tasty.  Good texture from the marinated tempeh, and full flavored with everything in between.  I actually learned a few things from the experience, such as using tofu in a sauce (emulsified), the tomato pudding spawned a few ideas, and tempeh can be tasty.  Fun stuff.

Then it was off to one of the perks of being in the position I am in, a wine tasting to sample some selections for our glass pour menu and featured pour list.  We tasted 16 different wines, all very delicious, including six whites and 10 reds.  Sitting in a warehouse surrounded by wine and tasting through various varietals is a perfect setting to allow the wine to speak to you in a language that we all can understand.  Its not about the detailed flavors or nuances when this happens, its really about absorbing the true nature of the grapes, the growing cycle, the weather, the soil, in other words everything that happened in order for that wine to become what it is.  Any wine that embraces the heart and soul of this process will definitely have a long finish.  Often the best wines have the longest finish.  The finish is what is left on your palate after the wine leaves your mouth, generally the flavors will dance on your taste buds like an episode of "soul train", creating a phenomenal sensation that is felt through the back of palate and the nose.  Needless to say we are going to have a spectacular glass pour list this year.

In case you have been sitting naked in a cave or out on boat in the middle of the gulf measuring oil, the World Cup is happening and tomorrow's game is a monumental contest between the U.S. and England.  Its a rematch of 1776 and 1950 (U.S. shocked England 1-0 in 1950 world cup, and I am pretty sure we all know what happened in 1776).  Anyway you can guess what I will be up to in between yoga sessions and the never ending list of things to do before we open next week :)  Enjoy!