I'm home!

That's right!  I arrived back in the States on September 10th (No thanks to Delta, who apparently never assigned me actual ticket numbers when I rearranged my flights so twice it looked like they weren't going to let me board the plane!)  

Right now I am just trying to recuperate and readjust to "normal" life.  Thanks to everyone who messaged or emailed me to check on me and I'm sorry I never updated.  I was so exhausted I didn't want to remember any of my responsibilities!

Syria: Musings of an American in London

We interrupt our regular schedule of one post a day to bring you a timely perspective of the Syrian crisis from an American in London.

Eating in Cincinnati like a local

Skyline Chili!  Graeters!

Yeah, we love those things too, but you can only drip Skyline chili on your Bengal's jersey so many time before you feel gross and boring.  You want a new place.  A place that's still delicious but isn't also available in the freezer section of the supermarket.  So you turn to....

Carl's Deli

Tucked away on a side street of Hyde Park not far from the square is this tiny food shop.  There are two parking spots out front and only a couple tables inside.   Definitely hole-in-th-wall: my favorite kind of place.  I get the #24: 

"The King George, Turkey On Rye with all the Veggies and Honey Mustard - 5.50"

And man is it delicious!  (Says the usually-vegeterian girl who actually isn't a fan of mustard.)  The rye bread has sea salt on the crust, which I believe is what makes the flavor POP...but I'm not exactly a chef so I could be wrong.  All I know is I love it.

You know it's a place the locals frequent when someone is there in scrubs
Photo is from Carl's Deli's webpage. 

Best places to exercise in Cincinnati

Wanting to get sweaty in Cinci?  We've got a little of something for everyone!

• Urban Active/LA Fitness

LA Fitness acquired Urban Active in fall 2012 but has maintained the look and feel of the Urban Active gyms, which is open and very modern feeling.  LA Fitness itself is also open and has a very clean feeling to it, but is not as "hip" looking as Urban Active.

Despite their open layout, though, the Urban Active brand is very understanding of people who may not want to have everyone watching them exercise.  Some of their locations have women's-only workout areas, which are smaller and more private.  
The Montgomery Road location actually has a theater room with a couple dozen treadmills and elliptical machines.  It's dark and they play different movies on different days.  It's a great way to crank out a couple hours of cardio! 

Theater room at Urban Active
Photo credit: Urban Active, LA Fitness

I visited LA Fitness solely to use their lap pool, since the closest Urban Active didn't have one.  It was very clean and I never felt like I was in anyone's way, even though I am not a very fast swimmer.

The group classes offered are also nice, though I prefer an actual yoga studio or boxing ring for the kind of classes they offer.

They offer a three-day pass free, which is a great way for a traveler to get into a gym if they're unhappy with the one at their hotel.

• Cincinnati Yoga School

No pictures allowed in
the temple itself

I first ventured into CYG thanks to a Groupon, but I stayed because it's simply the best yoga studio I've found.  They have created a meditative ambiance without overdoing the incense, tiny water fountains, and CDs of chanting monks.  It has all of these things but in a more subdued and authentic manner.  I really like getting a choice between a carpeted surface and hardwood, and I LOVE the simulated starry sky on the ceiling.
The Yogis here are very devoted, not only to helping you get the most out of your practice, but also the the philosophy of yoga.  The frequently offer retreats and seminars for those interested in longer more sustained experiences.

• Downtown

There is no run I enjoy more than through downtown and along the Ohio River.  It is completely safe during daylight hours as long as you don't do something stupid like take a shortcut down a deserted alley, or ignore traffic signals.  

Pretty views, even in the winter

If you want to avoid raffic altogether, run through Yeatmans Cove Park where the Flying Pig finish line party is held every year.  Or go further east to my favorite mini park: the Theodore M Berry International Friendship Park: it's crisscrossing path winds through gardens representing the different continents and it is chock full of sprinklers in the summer!

You can even cross the river into Newport Kentucky via the pedestrian-only Purple People Bridge.  (Yep, that's its name)  You can also use the John A Roebling suspension bridge, but it gives you a much more narrow area to run and you still have to deal with exhaust from cars which also use the bridge.

Camping at Shawnee National Park in Scioto, Ohio

As promised, my camping adventures from last week!  It was cold, it stormed, I got so bored that I packed up camp at 11pm and came home.  Lesson learned: next time bring people.

All packed up!

Adjustments

Anyone who has ever been on any trip at all knows they call for all sorts of adjustments.  This one was no exception.

First my down comforter, even when compressed in a vacuum bag, took up about three times as much space as I had budgeted. It didn't even fit in my backpack.  At all.  So plan B: bring my large fleece I had with me on my last camping trip.  It only took up the entire main compartment, relegating my Camelbak bladder to its own pack.   *sigh*

Then I got to the address listed online for the backpacking trail only to find that it was actually the address for the camp office, which is of course closed for the winter.  Even with my maps I couldn't find the entrance to the trail head.  I had noticed a gorgeous lake on my drive over, so I quickly gave up on my plan to find the trail head and settled for a spot near the lake, even though they were your typical campsites.  Typical, maybe, but still completely vacant!  Score!

Winter camping

Today I am setting out on a nice one day winter camping/hiking trip.  I'll be testing out some new gear, most excitingly my new Brooks Nightlife LSD III ultralight jacket.  It's super soft, super light, and supposedly windproof and water resistant *crosses fingers*

Here is what I'm carrying for my overnight trek into the wilderness:

Start with what you know: Washington DC

They say to write what you know, so where better to start than articles on places I'm familiar with?