Category Archives: Life In Atlanta

#ClassPassChallenge: Complete

1st September 2015

I’m on month four with ClassPass and while there are hundreds of classes available in Atlanta, it didn’t take long to become guilty of falling into a routine with a handful of favorite studios ?. So when my friend Kate shared that ClassPass was challenging members to try out ten new studios before Labor Day, I was more than up for the test. Finding out that there was a trip to Wanderlust 108 on the line was icing on the cake.

The start and finish faces of #ClassPassChallenge

This past week we finished our tenth class, officially completing the challenge. Looking back through my account, I have been to 24 different fitness studios since joining ClassPass in May. Before ClassPass I had not been to a class regularly since UGA spin, so that alone is pretty impressive for this runner girl.

Since July, we’ve done everything from try our best ballerina at Dance 101, practice patience with 90 minute yoga at Active Sol Yoga, kick out Monday aggression with kickboxing at Blueprint Fitness and even gave our best Cirque Du Soleil performance with a silks class at Atlanta Kick.

In order to participate in #ClassPassChallenge, we we’re required to Tweet or Instagram proof of each class with a photo. At the time, I was incredibly embarrassed (all ten times), but now it affords this sweet collage (and a takeover of my Twitter feed).

If you’re starting out with ClassPass, looking for a new studio or simply want to keep from falling into a fitness routine, use the map above for a recap of what I took on this summer with #ClassPassChallenge. Google, you never cease to amaze me. If I really have my act together, maybe I’ll keep this updated.

PS still interested in checking out ClassPass? Here’s my shameless plug for $10 off for you and $10 for me. Sign up with this link and we both win.

Celebrating 27 with High Tea at Zen Tea Chamblee

30th August 2015

First, I turned 27 last week.

Second, I found 27 to be the magic age where birthdays stop becoming so exciting that you feel the need to tell the entire world for a week straight. Ugh.

Third, if you know my husband whatsoever you are probably aware that he likes to pretend he’s an all around boy with no link to emotion whatsoever. And he doesn’t like to admit birthdays might be a cause for celebration. In fact, you might believe he doesn’t even like them.

Lies. All lies.

Don’t let that guy fool you, he has plenty of warm fuzzies hidden away and has this habit of saving them for the best moments. So when he surprised me with a perfectly girly tea party for my birthday, I could not have been more thrilled.

Celebrating birthday-eve with the husband and pup

I have been asking, and reminding myself (and P), to stop by Zen Tea in Chamblee for months. I gush over pretty little tea pots and never miss my daily cup of English Breakfast, but had yet to make it over to the tea store that is less than a five minute drive from our house.

Earlier this summer, while grabbing breakfast at the Brookhaven Farmer’s Market, P and I stopped by the Zen Tea tent. Me for a cup of white jasmine, he for some intel. I must have missed his chatting with the employee from Zen Tea, but he learned about their high tea offering and put plans in motion.

Sunday morning, when I asked what to make for breakfast, he mentioned having a spot in mind he wanted to try instead. When we arrived, I was giddy to see it was the same little tea shop I had been eying. I was then surprised to find not only were we grabbing delicious drinks, he had also invited my mom, sister, his parents and my best girlfriends for a high tea celebration.

Zen has a great little back room where we enjoyed a private three course brunch. The event began with a tea selection (every gets their own pot) served with scones, followed by a selection of finger sandwiches and final course of a second tea selection paired with a myriad of deserts. It was a fantastic way to work around their extensive menu (they have 160 teas to choose from) and take a much needed break from planning a large birthday dinner party.

If you’re not up for the entire high tea selection, Zen Tea offers loose tea for sale and has a great selection of little pastries, we’ll be back to try both. Located right in the heart of old downtown Chamblee, this little shop just off of Peachtree Road is a gem.

In addition to Zen Tea, old Chamblee has a string of antique stores, the impossible to pass up ice cream at the Frosty Caboose (ice cream out of a train car is NOT just for those under the age of five, for the record) and a number of other great eateries, all tucked into a mile or so.

I’m glad to know that even though I may have crossed the “birthdays don’t seem so exciting” bridge, I have someone by my side who’s willing to fight for them, at least for two more years. As my mother reminded us time and time again as children, women don’t age past 29 anyway.

Exploring the Atlanta BeltLine

25th August 2015

Every August in Atlanta, without fail, we are granted one week where mother nature decides she’ll pretend fall isn’t two months away, giving us a heavenly taste of cool mornings, crisp breezes and an excuse to wear white jeans with boots before it becomes socially unacceptable. Then it’s back to ninety degree, ninety percent humidity days until October.

That week happens to be this week. ?

The view from our Dragon Army deck

I’m soaking up every second between working from our Dragon Army deck that overlooks Piedmont Park (we are spoiled over here) and getting over to the Atlanta BeltLine for evening classes and runs without suffering from heat exhaustion.

If you haven’t heard of the Atlanta BeltLine, you might be living under a sad, less colorful, sun deprived rock somewhere. Seriously, take a break and head there now. The murals alone are worth your Instagram feed.

Sunset from the Eastside trail // A look from the golf course along the Northside trail

With the near weekly new additions at Ponce City Market and a new restaurant or apartment popping up just as frequently, it’s nearly impossible to miss the buzz around one of Atlanta’s best urban development projects.

Aside from all of the eating (of which I could write a dozen posts), the Atlanta BeltLine is also home to some of the best workouts in the city.

Situated next door to each other and just before the Ponce de Leon Avenue bridge, both Urban Body Studios and The Training Room ATL offer a myriad of classes from yoga, to pilates, TRX and even CrossFit style circuit training.

https://instagram.com/p/6QwzIgg8F-/?taken-by=katelarson12

If running the trail isn’t your thing, but you’re still looking for a cardio fill, check out Urban Body Studio’s Urban Explosion or one of the many daily classes at The Training Room ATL. With both, you’ll find a sixty minute sweat session packed with jumping lunges, medicine balls, pull ups and box jumps. The Training Room ATL rounds out each circuit with sprints out to the BeltLine in quick succession, keeping you both inside and out during the full routine.

A look inside The Training Room ATL

If you’re on the lookout for something a little more mellow, King of Pops offers a free yoga in the park session each Tuesday in the Historic Forth Ward park. I have yet to make it out to this one personally, but have heard nothing but great things from friends who’ve become regulars. Free yoga outdoors with hundreds of new friends? Yes, please. One can only hope there’s a chocolate sea salt pop waiting at the finish, as that would be delightful.

Image via #KOPYoga

If you’re like me and a good old walk/run is usually your best bet for getting beyond the gates of Piedmont Park, then take advantage of the Atlanta BeltLine Race Series which will hit its stride ?over the next few months. Both the Southeast 8K and the Eastside 10K are great races for exploring our city and always have the best Atlanta themed t-shirts at the finish line. Because, let’s be honest, I’m not the only one who judges the quality of a race by the public wearability of the free t-shirt.

Exploring the city can seem like a daunting task for the everyday, even more so when that city is your hometown. Luckily, with little gems like these, it’s easy to slide into a routine that’s anything but with endless possibilities to explore.

Not convinced? Check out Eventbrite for even more ideas to get started. Then go send a quick message to Mother Nature begging her to let this “cold front” last more than 72 hours.

A special thanks to Eventbrite for the inspiration for today’s post. While all thoughts, ideas and opinions expressed within this post are my own, you can count me in for some of their events this fall. If you are planning an even, be sure to check out Eventbrite’s event management page for all the info and tools you need to host an event of your own.