20. Even if you have
15,000 followers on Twitter, it can’t hurt to learn an old-fashion social-networking sport. The four pros at Mill Creek Tennis Club (avantisports.com) teach private and semiprivate lessons; prices range from $65 to $85 per hour. Join the club and receive a $10 discount.
21. Work up a sweat
amid nightclub lighting and custom-finished exercise equipment at Bellevue’s beautiful David Barton Gym (davidbartongym.com) in the Bravern complex. In this newest outpost of the national chain, clients consult with personal trainers, get tank-top ready in a strength-building class called Guns or tone their abs in a Pilates studio stocked with state-of-the-art stretching and strengthening equipment. The gym is youth-worshipping (the lobby’s curved-wood floor suggests a skateboard ramp), unabashedly superficial (the motto is “Look better naked”), and over-the-top in every way. But if the array of buff bodies there are any indication (or motivation) it will help you get in seriously good shape.
22. Seaweed, fish, ginger:
Sushi is good for us. But a recent fishing-industry documentary called End of the Line predicts that if we don’t change the way we eat seafood, the oceans will be barren by 2048. What to do? Eat sushi at Mashiko (sushiwhore.com) in West Seattle, the first local sushi restaurant (and only the third in the country) that is fully sustainable. No endangered species, no irresponsibly raised fishies, just fresh, heart-healthy raw fish that you can feel fine about gobbling.
23. Go play
An average adult can burn over 300 calories an hour scurrying around the playground with the young ones. Scale monkey bars and scoot across shaky bridges at the many-turreted Saint Edward State Park (parks.wa.gov/parks/alphalist), play castle, and your heart will pump aplenty as you get rowdy with the rugrats.
24. Calorie counter: Alcohol
Not for nothing do they call it a beer belly. While a single 1-to-1 gin and tonic has 94 calories, about the same as a four-ounce glass of cabernet sauvignon or a chardonnay, there are 165 calories in one 12-ounce Manny’s Pale Ale. We’re not saying don’t drink it, but chugalug and your pants will be snug.
25. Lost without your lamb chops?
Seattle scribe Kim O’Donnel, a trueslant.com food blogger, has made the commitment to Meatless Mondays, a national campaign to help Americans (who eat twice as much meat as the global average) to cut out animal consumption one day a week. Check out O’Donnel’s blog Licking Your Chops (trueslant.com/kimodonnel) for practical and inspiring tips and recipes.
26. Roll on.
If a faulty bicycle threatens to put you out of cardio condition, call mobile bike mechanic Ross Donaldson of Delicious Wheels (deliciouswheels.com). He’ll hitch up his trailer of tools and meet you at your home or office to cure whatever ails your two-wheeler.
27. Need a reason to relax?
A recent Forbes study found Seattle to be America’s fourth-safest city, tied with Boston, Massachusetts, and trailing our neighbors to the south in Stumptown, who earned third place. Hey, they had to be better than us at something.
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.