54. Mushroom foraging:
Try it once and it starts to grow on you. Bad jokes aside, if you’ve always wanted to get in on this classic Pacific Northwest pastime but don’t know your chicken of the woods from your turkey tails, join Puget Sound Mycological Society (psms.org), it’s a fun and educational way to meet other fungi fans and get schooled on all things shroom.
55. Eat weeds.
Always the inventive locavores, Seattleites have embraced purslane, a weed packed with omega-3 fatty acids. Local Roots Farm grower Siri Erickson-Brown, who sells a cultivated variety at the Queen Anne Farmers Market (qafma.org) from June through September, recommends using the plant’s lemony leaves in a salad with parsley, cherry tomatoes, and sweet onions.
56. Groggy at work from all-night World of Warcraft binges?
Flaking on your flesh-and-blood friends so you can spend more time with your Sims posse? Fall City–based ReStart (netaddictionrecovery.com), the country’s first Internet-addiction recovery center, says both are signs of a possible problem. Even if you’re at ease with your web usage, try spending one Sunday totally unplugged: no texting, no computer, no video console. If you can’t get through a day offline, consider calling the center to learn more.
57. When body-conscious Seattleites fall off the workout wagon,
they head to the boxing fitness class at Cappy’s Boxing Gym (cappysgym.com) to make amends. A time-tested group class that combines calisthenics and boxer’s exercises—footwork, medicine-ball drills, rope jumping—it’s an old-school, kick-your-butt, pretense-free sweat session. Prepare to feel the burn.
58. Rub a dub dub.
At press, nearly 200,000 people in King County had been vaccinated against swine flu. Whether or not you’re one of them, you can help protect yourself and others from H1N1 and other cold and flu viruses just by scrubbing those mitts. When you wash your hands, use soap and scrub for the time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday”—about 15 to 20 seconds.
59. Put your sleep issues to bed.
One in five people has trouble sleeping, says Ralph Pascualy, medical director of Sleep Medicine Associates, a clinic with locations in Seattle and Issaquah. An undiagnosed disorder can cause a combination of neural and psychological problems that lead to substance abuse, depression, and stress galore. But, says Pascualy, you needn’t keep suffering. Most sleeping problems are totally treatable, though they’re not always obvious. Feeling drowsy during the day, snoring loudly, and relying on booze or meds to get some z’s are all signals you should see a specialist.
h4. 60. Even those of us without serious sleep problems
could use a little R&R. The Nidra Sleep Treatment ($130) at the Vida Wellness Spa (vidawellness.com) ratchets up your chances for rest with an hour of aromatherapy plus a specially designed scalp, temples, neck, and shoulder massage that alleviates tension and relaxes the nervous system. Sounds dreamy.
61. Ski with the rest of us.
Okay, so you’re tired of tippling toddies at the lodge while your friends have fun on the mountain, but the idea of downhill skiing sets your klutzy body ashudder. Consider cross-country. You get to glide through the pines and put in a muscle-making, calorie burning workout without all the balance and coordination requirements. The Summit Nordic Center (summitatsnoqualmie.com) at Snoqualmie will start you off with rental equipment and a group lesson—you’ll be sliding through the snow in no time.
Published: January 2010
Hey gang, thank you so much for including me on your esteemed list! I am tickled. I’m taking my meatless 1x/week theme to the ext level in 2010— in the form of a cookbook! “Licking Your Chops,” a collection of 52 menus to help meat eaters take a break from eat 1x/week, will be published (Da Capo Press) right around Labor Day. Stay tuned! All best.
the Runner’s High is real! if you’re thinking about getting into running but are a little intimidated, Team in Training is a great way to start – the Seattle group has really helpful coaches, beautiful running routes, and tons of fun people to run with. And you raise money for a great cause (Leukemia & Lymphoma Society). http://www.teamintraining.org/wa/
I’m nearing the end of Day 3 of the water cleanse, inspired by Karen Quinn’s story. So far, so good. Today is the first day with only water. I do find myself instinctively wandering into the kitchen to grab snacks, only to snap out of it as I’m reaching for the chips. Tomorrow at the exact mid-point I’m getting a deep-tissue massage, which has motivated me through the first three days. It will also help release some more toxins, I’m sure. Thanks so much for publishing this! I have never fasted before, and am so glad I gave it a try.
Jay—
Way to give the cleanse a try—I find “water only” to be two very intimidating words. The massage is a good idea though, good to think of ways to reward yourself when embarking on such a serious challenge. Congrats to you.
Those aren’t the only places to play volleyball in Seattle, check out sbvclub.com for more information.