Wednesday, August 31, 2011

What you may not know about the YMCA


Da duh da duh da duh YYYYYYYY M C A…
Da duh da duh da duh YYYYYYYY M C A Ae

If you’re anything like me then theme music comes to mind for almost any situation, it’s like a really cheesy soundtrack for your life that you have no control over and won’t stop.  I’ve tried listening to more “sophisticated” music and cooler/trendier tunes in an attempt to improve my inner soundtrack, but it never works.  I am cheesy, I know it but I really do not accept it. I cannot. 

Another trapping of cheesiness is my devotion to the YMCA.  I love that that place!  However, I find that there are many misconceptions about the YMCA which I will dispel now.

  1. The YMCA is cheap.  You go there because you cannot afford a real gym.
WRONG! The YMCA has superior workout facilities AND most of them have a pool.  NO, not a pool so you can get the G and the T out of the way at the same time.  These pools are for real athletes, and real athletes recognize that swimming is a formidable sport.
AND it’s not cheap.  An individual membership in Dallas starts out at $69 (tee hehe).  Would you pay that to be crammed among the steroids and silicone at Gold’s? or to wait for a treadmill at 24-hour?
The YMCA price point is not about what you get out of the gym, it’s also about giving back.  The organization welcomes everyone regardless of ability to pay.  They partner with local businesses to subsidize memberships.  The rate paid for each individual and family membership is based on ability and income.  That means, when I sit on the couch all week I have not wasted any $$.  Rather, I can feel generous about helping my community.  Can you say that about your dusty gym membership?

  1. Why would I go to the YMCA? They’re all located in the ghetto.
Also not true.
The YMCA has fantastic locations globally.  Most major cities have a YMCA in the downtown area so there is really no excuse to miss a workout when you are a member of the YMCA.  In fact, I stayed at a very nice YMCA in Hong Kong. My room had a view of Victoria Harbor. 
Some are located in the ghetto, but with over 10,000 locations in the US alone you will find a variety.  Yes, there is a Y in Park Cities.   There is also one in Bedford... and a Moorland location.

  1. The YMCA is for old people.
Well, yeah it kind of is.  But, old people need to get in the gym too!  I have to believe it reduces government expenditures on Medicare/Medicaid so I tolerate it.

  1. The YMCA is for kids.
YES it is! Kids need to stay busy.  I think it’s good karma to be nice to kids at the Y, so that when you see them out at restaurants you can justifiably send bad looks to the parents and ask to be seated elsewhere.  There is a time a place for kids.  The YMCA is doing their part!

  1. The YMCA is only for Christians.
Nope, actually this year the YMCA officially changed its name to “the Y” to avoid that misconception.  But, I like to flaunt my old-skool YMCA style so to me it will always be the YMCA (Da duh da duh da duh…).

  1. The YMCA is not for women.
See response to #5.
Although I’m a closet feminist I think this one is really silly.  How many times have we been referred to as “guys” and not even noticed?  The YMCA falls into that category.

  1. The YMCA is gay.
If that means it’s fabulous then why haven’t you signed up yet!?

Other reasons to love the YMCA
  • Kind members (limited amount of d-bags, it is not a meat market)
  • Positive and welcoming environment for anyone looking to improve their health and better themselves.
  • Excellent teachers and classes
  • Volunteer opportunities
  • Convenience
  • I think I already mentioned that they have pools. 

So yeah, I will be at the YMCA tonight for Kristy’s yoga class.  Hips go high!

Monday, August 29, 2011

I ate lunch outside today


This summer has been the hottest of my life.  Labor Day is fast approaching and it feels like summer is stuck in prime time, reveling in its rolling blackouts and water restrictions.  Not that Labor Day marks the end of summer in Texas; it’s more of a milestone signaling that the worst is behind us and it’s time to put away the white pants.  This summer has been so brutal.  On Sunday the heat reached 119 degrees.  I felt like there was no end in sight and began to lose hope.  But today, I ate lunch outside! LUNCH! Yes. It was a blessing sent from Irene to help us get through Monday.  It was God’s reminder that we are not actually in hell (at least until lunch is over).

Here is a photo of the beautiful weather during lunch (anyone that has braved this summer in Texas can recognize hot weather in photos and estimate actual temperatures with accuracy).



Saturday, August 27, 2011

Kinky Friday


There are certain people and things that always make me smile.  Kinky Friedman is one of them! He never disappoints. This guy is a character through and through, but should not be underestimated.  I admire Kinky Freidman because he’s true to his word, and he lives out his beliefs.  Not to mention, he’s hilarious; a self-proclaimed “Texas Jewboy” that lives in a trailer out in the middle of Texas somewhere and considers himself a musician and politician.  I voted for him for governor of Texas, and have enjoyed reading a few of his books. Today, I read that Rick Perry got the Kinky Friedman vote for the 2012 elections.  But he hasn’t always been a fan of Rick Perry:  It had in fact been his plan to, upon death, be cremated and have the ashes thrown in Rick Perry's hair. But now he sees Mr. Perry as "a good, kind-hearted man" with a solid economic record. Kinky once admitted he'd vote for Charlie Sheen before Barack Obama, but asked: Could Perry fix the American economy? "Hell yes."

Thank you Kinky, I'm smiling right now!  Not to mention it's FRIDAY.  Happy weekend everyone. 

The worst places to valet in Dallas

Big D is the 9th largest city in the US and ranked #53 worldwide.  Only 1.2 million people live within the area that comprises Dallas County; while the DFW metroplex has over 6.5 million people spread out over vast land area. The urban area of the city itself it doesn’t seem that “big” to me, or to most visitors.  But don’t worry, everywhere you go in Dallas you will feel like you’re “big time” while rolling up to the valet.  Even if you don’t want a teenage stranger driving your car off into the distance, no one really has a choice anymore.
Indeed, I have to admit that I too have been part of the problem.  When I asked my brother to fix my car because “it was embarrassing to valet”  I should have known it had gone too far.  He kindly pointed out to me that he will change the belts in my car so there is no more damage and it remains safe to drive.   Instead of driving around looking for a parking spot, I often find myself driving around looking for an ATM to pay the valet; that is pretty much mandatory if you want to wear heels to dinner (which is absolutely mandatory).
Here is the short list of places where the valet parking is a joke, unmanageable, and/or just a rip-off entirely.

Katy Trail Ice House
It wasn’t until yesterday at Katy Trail Ice House that I realized that the valet situation in Dallas had gotten out of hand entirely.  It was Thursday afternoon and I was on my way to happy hour to pay $3 for domestic beers.  There is no parking in sight, but plenty of strangers willing to take your $$ and your car.
I tried driving around for a bit to find a spot since it was still early and I didn’t have any cash on me.  After about 15 minutes I realized that the only choice I had was to valet and bum a few dollars off my colleagues (which is nbd for all the ballers I work with).  When I tried to pull into the parking lot I was waived over to another valet that was for Texas de Brazil.  They are happy to let you park in their valet for $5.  After hopping out of my car I asked the guy “is there an ATM inside?” and he said “okay, you can pay after.”
Did I mention that this valet was pretty far from the entrance to Katy Trail Ice House?  What’s the point of paying to valet if you still have a 3 to 4 minute walk to happy hour?  Time during happy hour is measured in dog years because the drink specials typically end in 2 to 3 hours.  Using that logic, my walk from the valet to the bar was 21 to 28 minutes of happy hour foregone, AND I PAID FOR IT. 
When I came in and joined my coworkers they all asked “did you get a ticket from the valet?” I had it in my hand.  They told me that they were never given a ticket.  While we were sitting there enjoying snacks and drinks at the Ice House my friend’s Honda Cube rolls by.  She had been in the bar for at least 45 minutes.  It wouldn’t be my choice for the joy ride but I was never a valet during my teenage years. 
When it was time to go we all parted ways for the various valets we had used.  My ticket-less colleagues were asked to identify which keys were theirs and the valet promptly retrieved their cars.  Apparently the honor system is still alive (at least at my office, no one came to work with a new car the next day). I hiked off to the TdB valet and obediently paid $5.
This is not a criticism of the Katy Trail Ice house, I will continue to go there to drink and watch the “healthy” people jog by.  It just serves as an illustration of how incredibly absurd the valet parking gambit has become in Dallas.  When will I learn that 9X out of 10 getting a cab is a better value? And hitching a ride with a co-worker or friend is a winner 10X out of 10 (if you choose carefully). 

Sangrias
One of my favorite places to dine in Dallas is Sangrias. They have a wonderful selection of delicious tapas  that are great for the hungry and indecisive.  I go there at least twice a month, and have been known to order Sangria’s from Dining In. I’m a fan of the restaurant but the valet at Sangria’s remains a conundrum.
If you go to Sangrias for dinner, chances are you will be interrupted towards the end of your meal to have your keys returned to you because the valet guy (yes, there is usually only one), is going home.  This usually happens on week nights.   I’m all for leaving work early if there is no work to do but it begs the question “what’s the point of having a valet service”?   Additionally, Sangrias is located off Cole and there are no parking lots nearby that are stiletto-friendly.  There isn’t even a sidewalk on the side of the road where the restaurant is located.  There are three street parking spots available in front of the restaurant, but those are typically occupied by…. you guessed it! The VALET.  Given that situation, one would expect to have the parking lot out back available for the guests of the restaurant. 

NorthPark Center
My boyfriend is from Boston and he is always shocked when we go to NorthPark.  It’s a special place where you can find ducks and turtles in the fountains outside of the fabulous shops.  He’s also delighted by the valet.  For a small price of $7 you don’t have to look for parking.  There are many parking options at NorthPark, but we like to get most of our shopping experiences by starting off with a few drinks or lunch.  The entrance to the mall closest to PF Changs, Magianos, Corner Bakery, McCormick & Schmick’s and many other dining options is controlled by a valet service.  The line for the valet is usually long, and it clogs up one of the parking lot’s main arteries.  While you wait there for the valet to come take your car you at least have the comfort of knowing that this time you know exactly where it’s going! Indeed, all of the parking spots in sight are marked off for valet.  Even if it’s not a particularly busy time at the mall, the valet can be very busy because they have 2 guys running around in the 100+ degree weather parking a few cars in the massive lots allocated to them.  It’s not their fault, I’m sure they understand that this situation is completely bizarre.  While the Highland Park residents and Dallas elite probably need a valet to help them haul off their bounty after another long day of shopping all I need is easy access to the bar so I can get toasted enough to buy that miniskirt that will keep my boyfriend happy so he continues taking me to bars.  My suggestion for Northpark: Please keep the valets, the old ladies should not be wandering around looking for their Cadillacs. However, can you make them smaller, and keep some spaces available for those of us that are young and want a quick trip in and out of the mall (with a few drinks)?