Grass Fed Up!

Not only did my first date in four years cancel on me (emotional buzz kill) but, add to that, it was grey, dreary and rainy outside (amplifying said buzz kill). Ah, the perfect day for a depressive afternoon of self-pitying and over-indulgent eating. I made it my goal to sedate myself into a fast food-induced coma and revive myself later with a dose of love in the form of chocolate. BRGR was in the neighborhood so I gave it a shot.

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A-Lister For A Day At Ted Gibson Salon

Who doesn't wanna walk into a room and be treated like an A-lister? Well, I recently indulged in such super-star treatment at the Ted Gibson Salon. Even I, a mere commoner, didn't have to endure long waits in the reception area reading gossip magazines. Nor did I have to endure extensive deep conditioning treatments with my head arched awkwardly over the sink while my stylist catered to her over booked schedule of more important clients. Nope. For once, it was all about me!

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Planking On The LES (Pilates Style)

Pilates class was the perfect excuse to schlep downtown and wander around my post break-up 'hood of the Lower East Side. I discovered that it's evolved as much as I have over the past four years. The young, hipster vibe was still there along with the Cake Shop across from my old bedroom window and my emergency spots for uncontrollable cases of single-itis: September Wine & Spirits and Babycakes Bakery. But one of the new spots that's emerged is Plank Pilates; an intimate, well-designed Pilates studio housed in a building constructed in 1869, with antique wood floors and original stone walls.

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Wrapped Up In Redcord

I've got a confession. I've been wrapped up in a torrid new affair with Redcord. No, it hasn't diminished my deep affection for or loyalty to Pilates. But it definitely scores a close second; just as Idris Elba does to The Rock. It started off as just a brief flirtation: a Living Social deal including three group classes at Pilates on Fifth. Being a person picky about my Pilates, though, I decided to take advantage of Pilates on Fifth for that little special something they offer that most Pilates studios don't. REDCORD!

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Raw Food Deal

Quintessence is a hidden gem in the eclectic East Village of 5-story walk-ups and passers-by that seem to carry complex life stories and eccentricities. I sat at a table by the window which became an entertaining picture book of characters; some of whom seemed stuck in an 80s time warp, swathed in vintage clothing and signs of bygone-era excess lingering on their wandering souls. It was an interesting mix of those types, plus rent-stabilized hanger-on-ers surprised to see their hood become hip and the young hipsters that help make it so. If it weren't for NY, these characters would never co-exist.

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