Pride Parade Archives - My Healthy, Happier Life

This weekend was the perfect mix of rest, friends, and workouts!

Saturday after the NYRR Pride Race Bo and I had the opportunity to catch up with one of my best friends from college, Gavin. He was in town on business but was luckily able to extend his trip so we could spend some quality time together Saturday. We spent the afternoon showing him SoHo, the Village, Gramercy and a few parks in between before returning to our apartment for a round of cocktails.

IMG_2795 (640x478) (640x478) It was so wonderful to catch up with an old friend and plan a future visit out to see him in Los Angeles! I can’t believe we hadn’t seen him since our wedding in November 2009! DSC_0014 (640x426)

The boys had fun with the camera while I relaxed with a glass of red wine. We had to part ways earlier than we would have liked since we had plans uptown. Check out these incredible evening views!

A rooftop party was the perfect way to celebrate our friend Eric’s 30th birthday. His girlfriend Louisa was the hostess with the mostess, impressing everyone!

After spending almost the entire day outside, I slept like a baby Sunday night. In fact, I didn’t leave my bed until past noon!

I was lucky enough to snag a spot in Melissa’s free FlyBarre class Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately, getting to the class was an obstacle in itself since the Pride Parade route stood between my house and the FlyWheel studio.

Check out the people watching from the windows! I would be so scared of falling!!

As you can tell, it was quite the event, especially after Friday’s vote to legalize same sex marriage. Luckily I made my way quick enough to sprint through FlyWheel’s doors a few minutes before class started.

I had no idea what to expect of FlyBarre except that it would be some sort of bar class.

The first thing I noticed was the studio space. Unbeknownst to me, I’ve become quite accustomed to a more “spa like” space like Exhale, Pure Yoga, and Bar Method. The white lights paired with the white wall were a bit intense upon first entering.

I forgot about the surroundings within minutes when our energetic instructor Kolina started explaining the class. Many of the props are the same (band, ball, light weights, and mat) but the class is definitely different than any bar class I’ve taken. The “classic bar” portion is interspersed with an interpretive dance portion and dynamic arms.

My favorite parts of the class were the arm series and the ab portion. Using the light weights in new movements such as cross body was a refreshing and challenging change and my arms definitely felt it the next day. I also attribute this to using five pound weights for the majority of the class.

The ab section was centered around resistance bands and included cross overs which targeted the obliques and “pop ups” which focused on the lower abdominals.

Overall, I really enjoyed this class though I wish Kolina had spent more time adjusting the students. Many of us agreed that she participated in the class more than an average instructor and I fear that some students, who were new to bar type classes, may not have left understanding the proper form. I would definitely take the class again and can’t thank FlyWheel or Melissa enough for the great opportunity.

Follow:

Living in New York City is all about taking advantage of experiences for two Southerners like me and Bo. Therefore, this afternoon Bo and I ventured two avenues away to take in the Gay Pride Week 2010 NYC Pride March. We knew this would be a site to be seen as it was the parade’s 40th anniversary.

The parade began at noon and ran from 36th and 5th and ended in Greenwich Village at the location of the 1969 Stonewall riots.

The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. They are frequently cited as the first instance in American history when people in the homosexual community fought back against a government-sponsored system that persecuted sexual minorities, and they have become the defining event that marked the start of the gay rights movement in the United States and around the world.

The parade featured three Grand Marshalls this year:

Dan Choi

Dan Choi :

Lt. Choi’s selection and acceptance of the honor of NYC LGBT Pride Grand Marshal marks the first time in U.S. history that an openly gay male on active service with the U.S. Armed Forces will be an LGBT pride march Grand Marshal.

Judy Shepard

In October 1998, Judy and Dennis Shepard lost their 21 year-old son, Matthew, to a murder motivated by anti-gay hate. Matthew’s death moved many thousands of people around the world to attend vigils and rallies in his memory.

Constance McMillen

Constance McMillen is a Mississippi high school honors student who fought back when her school told her she couldn’t take her girlfriend to the prom.

Talk about Operation Beautiful. These are certainly people who have stood up for their beliefs in peaceful yet powerful ways.

Today’s parade was filled with colorful characters, cheers, and plenty of dancing! I was surprised that the parade wasn’t more dense as I have heard a great deal about this parade historically and expected it to be constant music and dance. Instead there was normally a minute or two before each group of marchers.

There were lots of faces but only one that I recognized!