Entries Tagged as 'Fun'
Unnata Aerial Yoga in the NY Times
How exciting! My wife Michelle’s Unnata Aerial Yoga class was written up in the NY Times “Thursday Styles” section this past Thursday! You can see a copy of the print article over on the Aerial Yoga website. Or if you like, you can read the article on the NY Times website.
As I have mentioned before, the Aerial Yoga class is now in its new location on Bedford Ave. in Williamsburg, and was recently featured on NBC’s First Look NY. In fact, Michelle’s segment on First Look NY was syndicated, and played in the little TVs in the back of NYC Taxi Cabs for about two weeks! Many people called to say that they saw Michelle in their Taxi Cab!
FYI: Tonight (Sunday Oct. 12, 2008), Michelle is doing an Aerial Acrobatic performance at the Zipper Theatre on 37th St. (b’twn 8th and 9th Aves) at 7PM. Come on down for an exciting evening of mixed aerial performances by some of New York City’s leading aerial acrobatic performers!
How I Tie My Shoelaces So They Never Come Untied (But Are Easy To Undo)
About twenty years ago, I was working next door to a shoemaker’s shop. One day, I was complaining to Joe (the Shoemaker) that my new sneakers kept coming untied. These shoes had roundish, nylon shoelaces and my standard shoelace knot that I had been taught as a child was not staying tight at all with these new laces.
Joe taught me what he called “the nylon shoelace knot,” and from that day forward, my shoelaces never come untied by themselves. But here’s the best part; a quick, firm pull on the two loose ends, and they come untied with ease. Beautiful!
Fast-forward to today; with the Interwebs being what they are, of course there is a website devoted to shoelaces – only shoelaces: Ian’s Shoelace Site.
I have now learned that this knot is called the Surgeon’s Shoelace Knot.
Ian’s Shoelace Site has tips on lacing shoes, tying shoelaces, slipping shoelaces, crooked shoelaces, shoelace lengths, shoelace tips for teaching children, shoelace tips for sports, shoelace tips for the elderly/disabled; shoelace tips for everyone!
This website will change the way you think about shoelaces. It’s never too late to learn to tie your shoes well!
Aerial Yoga moves to 241 Bedford Ave., Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
On Tuesday, June 10, 2008, Unnata™ Aerial Yoga moves to its new location on the main strip in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY.
The new location is at 241 Bedford Avenue (buzzer #7). This is on Bedford Avenue between North 3rd and North 4th. It is only a 2.5 minute walk from the Bedford Avenue stop on the L train; very easy to get to!
Classes at the new location will begin on Tuesday, June 10. Class days and times will be Tuesdays, 7:15-8:45pm, and Saturdays, 2:15-3:45pm. Additional schedule and reservation information can found at the Aerial Yoga Website.
Unnata™ Aerial Yoga’s new location (classes began two and a half years ago over at the Streb SLAM Studio), will offer some distinct advantages over the old space, says founder Michelle Dortignac:
“At this new location, I will be able to hang more apparatuses (when necessary) to ensure no more than 2 people per apparatus – even when class is full! Also, we will be the only class happening in the room when we are there, so it will be much quieter with fewer distractions. I had been looking for a space that would be more conducive to Yoga, and this space is really it!”
Classes, which are designed for all levels – even beginners with no previous experience – will cost $20. There will be a 5-class card for $85 (good for 2 months) and a 10-class card for $150 (good for 5 months).
Not Made in China: Fortune Cookies
Japanese Fortune Cookie
According to an article in the NY Times today, it turns out that fortune cookies—the desert treat popularly served in Chinese restaurants—are actually of Japanese origin.
Japanese bakers have been making omikuji senbei (“written fortune crackers”), in Kyoto for generations. Fortune cracker making was brought to the west coast of this country by early Japanese immigrants. After these Japanese families were removed to the internment camps during WWII, it was Chinese families that took over the production of the cookies.
After the war, returning American servicemen were served fortune cookies in California. Upon arriving home, they asked their local Chinese restaurants why they didn’t serve the fortune cookies.
Still popular in Kyoto, Japan, the “written fortune crackers” are similar in shape, but differ in taste. They are bigger and browner, and not as sweet, being flavored with miso and sesame instead of butter and vanilla.
One bakery, Sohonke Hogyokudo, has used the same 23 fortunes for decades. (Wonton Foods, the American cookie maker has over 10,000 fortunes in its database.) Hogyokudo’s fortunes tend to be more poetic in theme than prophetic.
But a cookie opened in another local Kyoto shop contained the advice, “To ward off lower back pain or joint problems, undertake some at-home measures like yoga.”