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Cycling: A Thanksgiving Workout

| Megan

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Alright! I am teaching an indoor cycling class tomorrow morning and this is how it is going to go down!!!

This profile focuses on 6 sets of 5 minute rollers– moderate hills with a little kicker at the top. The profile flows as follows:

9 minute warm up

3 minute easy stretch, add resistance

3 minute 30 second stand followed by 30 second sit

3 minute pickups

50 minute ride

5 minute moderate hill climb with one minute sprint at the top

2 minute working descent, REPEAT 3 times

30-20-10 sprint set (30 on 30 off, 20 on 20 off, 10 on 10 off) 4 times

5 minute moderate hill climb with one minute sprint at the top

2 minute working descent, REPEAT 3 times

Cool down

Here’s the playlist (sorry, no tech savvy list this go round!):

Intro music: You Found Me– The Fray, Shut Up and Dance– Walk the Moon, I Will Survive– Gloria Gaynor

Warm up tunes: Girl Almighty– One Direction, Good to Be Alive– Andy Grammer, Confident– Demi Lovato

Hill Climbs (each climb and descent covers roughly two songs): Jump (For My Love)– The Pointer Sisters, God Only Knows– The Beach Boys, Alive– Sia, Sing– Pentatonix, Palladio– Escala, Light Em Up– Fall Out Boy

Sprint set: Love Me Harder (Extended Workout Mix)– Ariane Grande, I Cry– Flo Rida

Hill Climbs: You Spin Me Round– Glee Cast, The Nights– Avicii, Staring at the Sun– Mika, Shut Up and Drive– Rihanna, Lonely No More– Rob Thomas, Wild Wild Love– Pitbull

Cool Down: Can’t Sleep Love– Pentatonix, All You Need Is Love– Love Actually, Take Me As I Am– Wyclef/Sharissa

Happy Thanksgiving, happy riding!!!

XX, Megan

P.S. If you’re really feeling it you can always #bikeblackfriday

BikeBlackFriday

 

 

The Great Thanksgiving Listen: StoryCorps

| Megan

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This Thanksgiving I am grateful for StoryCorps. The non-profit organization who has made it their mission to listen– to 911 survivors, to inner city school kids, to veterans, to immigrants, to lovers, to friends, to parents and grandparents, to civil rights activists– to everyone.

I have spoken about StoryCorp several times on Refined + Rugged, here and here. There are some very exciting happenings happening over at StoryCorp this Thanksgiving.

The first is that they were the Ted Talk prize winner for 2015. With the 1M dollar prize, StoryCorp founder David Isay created the StoryCorp App.

Now with nothing more than your smart phone and the StoryCorp App, you too can participate in recording the voices of your grandparents, parents, elders, or even friends.

StoryCorps is spear-heading The Great Thanksgiving Listen this Thanksgiving, November 26th, 2015. They are inviting EVERYONE to download their app and record the memories and voices of a loved one.

It is so easy! Choose someone to interview. Download the app. Pick some really good questions. Find a quiet place to record. Listen. Closely.

Then share your interview with the WORLD. StoryCorps aims to create the largest archive of human voices ever recorded.

The Great Thanksgiving Listen encourages us to ask and listen. To look outside of ourselves into the narratives of others and recognize the family, community, and friendship building that occurs when we LISTEN to one another and our personal histories.

From the StoryCorp Website:

“This Thanksgiving weekend, StoryCorps will work with teachers and high school students across the country to preserve the voices and stories of an entire generation of Americans over a single holiday weekend.

Open to everyone, The Great Thanksgiving Listen is a national assignment to engage people of all ages in the act of listening. The pilot project is specially designed for students ages 13 and over and as part of a social studies, history, civics, government, journalism, or political science class, or as an extracurricular activity. All that is needed to participate is a smartphone and the StoryCorps mobile app.”

To be honest, I haven’t chosen a loved one to interview yet. I may have to record my interview the day after Thanksgiving.

But the great thing is that the StoryCorps App isn’t design ONLY for The Great Thanksgiving Listen, it is designed to be used any day any where around the globe!!!

Click here to learn more about StoryCorps and ME, and how you can participate in The Great Thanksgiving Listen.

Click here to follow The Great Thanksgiving Listen on Facebook.

Click here if you are a teacher and want to learn more about how StoryCorp is partnering with High School Teachers and Students everywhere to participate in this National Day of Listening.

Click here to read more about the StoryCorps app for iPhone or Android.

Try it out. Set up an interview and have a listen. I would love to hear how your conversation turns out.

XX, Megan

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Blanket Cape Crusader

| Megan

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Absolutely loving these over-the-knee boots. Not only are the comfortable, they amp up any outfit with a bit of boho luxe. The warm suede and perfect heel height are ideal. I could go on and on.

If you are in the market for new boots this season don’t shy away from a more statement making pair. Surprisingly versatile, I’ve already worn these OTK babies with a pencil skirt and sweater combo, and another pair of skinny jeans.

I look forward to finding the perfect sweater dress to pair with these puppies, and I am equally enamored with the idea of donning them with a floaty floral dress this Spring!

I’ve shopped some other over-the-knee options along with the outfit details below. Enjoy your Tuesday, friends.

XX, Megan

Poncho: Vintage, Sweater: J.Crew (old, similar), Boots: Dolce Vita (or similar, save, splurge), Jeans: Lucky, Bag: J.Crew, Sunglasses: Ray-ban, Necklace: J.Crew (similar), Bracelet: J.Crew (similar), Earrings: Zales

Music: A Thanksgiving Playlist

| Megan

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What is a delicious dinner without musical accompaniment? I’ve been play-listing for… a long time. I don’t intend to slow down anytime soon.

While the musical modes and technological mediums have changed the opportunity remains to find music that sets the mood for your meal, or party, your spin class, or your evening at home.

There are three primary albums I pulled music from this year:

The Wailin Jenny’s album Firecracker, featuring the song Glory Bound

Appalachian Journey — Alison Krauss, Edgar Meyer, Bela Fleck, James Taylor, Mark O’Connor, Mike Marshall & Yo Yo Ma

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Soundtrack — Jose Gonzalez, Junip, Rogue Valley, and More

Enjoy the tunes, and enjoy your upcoming Tuesday!!!

XX, Megan

Thanksgiving 2015 Playlist

Click the link to be directed to the YouTube Playlist, or search the songs out for yourself on your preferred player.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLI7bGCyG8dbfs7nVL7P8KmEFnFUqiI34v” target=”_blank”>

Glory Bound —  The Wailin’ Jennys   

Imagine —  Jack Johnson   

‘Tis A Gift To Be Simple —  Alison Krauss & Yo Yo Ma

Stay Alive — Jose Gonzalez 

Short Trip Home — Edgar Meyer/Joshua Bell

Latch (Acoustic) — Sam Smith

How Can I Keep From Singing? —  Rene Marie

Heaven When We’re Home — The Wailin’ Jennys

Gabby Kai (Hawaii) —  James “Bla” Pahinui

One Voice — The Wailin’ Jennys

Butterfly’s Day Out — Edgar Meyer/ Mark O’Connor

Long Time Traveller — The Wailin’ Jennys

Song of the Liberty Bell — Mark O’Connor

Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright — Brett Dennen & Ted Lennon

Appalachia Waltz — Edgar Meyer/ Mark O’Connor

The Wolves & the Ravens — Rouge Valley

Sunrise — Norah Jones

Amazing Grace — Mark O’Connor

Bright Morning Stars — The Wailin’ Jennys

1B — Edgar Meyer/Mark O’Connor

# 9 Dream — Jose Gonzalez

The Trapeze Swinger — Iron and Wine

 

Thanksgiving Menu

| Megan

DSC_0022Well friends, the week has arrived. The recipes have been chosen. The menu has been finalized. The groceries will be procured TODAY! The feast will commence on Thursday!!!

Here’s what we’re having this year for Thanksgiving Dinner:

       White Truffle Butter Roasted Turkey

       Uncle Floyd’s Mashed Potatoes

       Sweet Potato Soufflé

      Kathy’s Green Bean Casserole

       Slow-cooked Stuffing

       Mom’s To-Die-For Crescent Rolls

       Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad

       Perfect Cranberry Sauce

With Turkey as the star of the main meal and all those delicious supporting dishes, it is sure to be a gastronomic experience to remember. I literally cannot wait!

Of course there will be Apple and Pumpkin Pie provided by my mom. She really has pie-making down to an art. This crisp, flaky, buttery, but not-too-sweet crust filled with the just-right fruit and spice filling (always a little more cinnamon than a recipe calls for) is pie heaven.

I am adding jalepeno jelly to my grocery list because I am already dreaming of leftover turkey sandwiches smeared in said jelly and cream cheese. Yes!

There will be games, and movies, and hopefully I can convince my Rough and Tumble to take a post-dinner coma (nap) or go for a very, very long play in their favorite tree. Fingers crossed.

Our Thanksgiving table is already set. Seriously. I am teaching a spin class Thanksgiving morning, so I am doing all I can to get set and prepped before the big day. Here’s another peak at our table.

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Today I’ll make the Cranberry Sauce and tomorrow I’ll whip up the Sweet Potatoes. I’m hoping to be ready to rev up my spin class and then come home and put the bird directly into the oven.

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Don’t forget the tunes. I’ll be sharing a Thanksgiving playlist later today, and I’m super excited to have this refurbished radio as my music piece.

What are you eating this Thanksgiving? Where will you be traveling? Who will be coming to visit? Wishing all of you a wonderful day filled with gratitude, remembrance, love, and more LOVE!

XX, Megan