Eat Well Wednesday

Eat Well Wednesday Uncategorized

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There are some scary ingredients in pre-packed foods and some most consumed convenience food is cereal and granola bars.  They make for quick breakfasts and easy snacks.

The good news is that you don’t have to sacrifice convenience for wholesome nutrition!  By making better choices at the store, you can make better choices for the food you choose to fuel you and your families bodies with.

 

 

Let’s do some comparisons, starting with granola bars.

 

 

Special-K-bars-300x150

(Hey Special K may only have 90 calories, but they almost have 90 ingredients too!  Yikes.)

Red flags in the ingredient list are hydrogenated oils, Red # 40, and BHT (A scary preservative used to lengthen shelf life, but is also found in embalming fluid and jet fuel.)  Here is a much better option…..

 

 

Cascade Farms Oatmeal Raisin Granola Bars

healthy-granola-bar

With half the ingredients of the Special K bars and very little preservatives, these would be a much better alternative to the sugar filled, artificial bars.

 

 

I would also HIGHLY RECOMMEND these delicious bars:

Be Kind Bars are the bomb!!

Not only are they well-balanced with protein, carbohydrates and fats, the ingredient list is stellar!!
Look for these sweet little treats at all major grocery stores and Starbucks.
 
 

Be-Kind-Bar-2

 

 

Remember to look for foods that have simple ingredients lists.  Eliminate the fake stuff, artificial ingredients and preservatives.  Go for the simple, wholesome, well-balanced snacks and your body will love you!

 
I hope this information helps you navigate the snack isle a bit better.  Be Well!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 0-1Jill Tarpey is leading us Wednesday by Wednesday into making better food choices and being more healthful. Tune in every Wednesday to get some great recipes and advice from someone who really knows health. In an effort to fuel her passion to serve as well has enhance the lives of others through their nutritional choices, she started Eat Well SA(San Antonio). Her vision is to educate you on how to incorporate a healthy array of foods into your life. Eat Well is not a diet, nor does it embrace any one specific dietary agenda. She also offers customized programs that are educational and teach you the tools you need to maintain healthy, well-balanced eating for your busy lives.
 
 

 

Tuesday Tunes!

Tuesday Tunes

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We’re loving Tuesday Tunes, which features the musical musings of our favorite artists! This week we have our very own framer and dancer extraordinaire: Jacquelyne Boe! 

 

JackieboeJacquleyne Jay Boe received her BFA from the University of Oklahoma, where she graduated as the Graduate of the Year from the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts. In the process of receiving her BFA, she had the pleasure of dancing works by Alvin Ailey, Robert Battle, Mark Dendy, Jean Erdman, Austin Hartel and Pilobolus Dance Theater. Immediately out of college she performed internationally with Hartel Dance Group and The National Ballet of Paraguay in Asuncion, Paraguay. She also worked with Erick Hawkins Dance during Erick Hawkins Centennial celebration at venues such as Jacobs Pillow and the 92nd Y New York City, NY. Since moving back to Houston, she has worked with Frame Dance Productions, Hope Stone Inc., NobleMotion Dance, Alex Soares, Teresa Chapman and Recked Productions. Boe loves teaching all levels of dance and values human connections.

 

 

What music inspires you the most in the classroom; in the choreographic process? 

I am inspired by music that surprises and takes the mind on a journey.

 

What are your three favorite tracks to each a class to?

Recently, I have had live music in my classes by Kirk Suddreath and Kristen Jensen. So I did not know this one off the top of my head. I did some research in the iTunes play lists that I have made for teaching. Breathe Extended Version Mix by Telepopmusik is a staple for my floor warm-up, an audible reminder to breathe. Disneylandia by Jorge Drexler is a nice choice for the circular rond de jambe. The Avalanches song Frontier Psychiatrist is an eclectic choice of music, changing quality constantly. I like to use this for the choreography part of my class.

 

 

Tele

 

What are your top tracks to get the rehearsal process going?

Always different and depends the on day. The other week I choreographed a section of my evening length work “What Lies in Wonder” and the cast warmed up to rap music that I listened to when I was in High School. Now, I don’t listen to rap very often but the rehearsal called for that type of music to inspire.

 

Pick 5 tracks that should be on every dancer’s iPod?

pod
Any classic tracks by Nina Simone, Patsy Cline and The Temptations.

 

Do you have a ‘secret weapon’ song or artist when you need go-to inspiration?

Oh yeah! My secret weapon is my own voice. Sometimes I sing for the leg swings portion of my class when I do not have the pleasure of a live musician. 

 

 

Look forward to more music inspirations next week!

Have a Terrific Tuesday! 🙂

MFA Monday

MFA Mondays

A post from our scholarly dance guru, Dr. Alexis Weisbord, to bolster your blah Monday! 

Read on Framers….

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On Networking and Building a Professional Community
 

 When entering a professional interaction, I think about the networking opportunities, whether these people can recommend me for a job, or if they may even be sitting on an interview panel.  The thing is, you never know when, where, or with whom a professional relationship might begin.

When I first meet people, I’m typically a pretty shy person, and I think I knew clearly somewhere in my first year of graduate school that I was in over my head. The idea that I needed to pass myself off, as a credible “professional” while surrounded by these accomplished people, seemed outlandishly impossible. I could have made the choice to leave school for a year or two and get what I needed to feel more confident in my work, however that simply isn’t my way. Tell me I can’t do something and I will travel to the ends of the earth to make it happen, so rather than believe that I wasn’t capable, I was determined to push through, no matter what that meant. I was 22, single and had nothing to lose…. except my pride

It can take me a long time to relax enough around new people, especially groups, to feel like I can share anything personal, so I got really lucky when a woman who graduated a year earlier than me from my undergraduate program also decided to go to UC Riverside for the same graduate program. Although she wasn’t someone I was social with at the time, we decided to live together because it meant it was half the price of living alone. We didn’t know each other well, and while we certainly had our ups and downs, we quickly learned that having someone to share your day with (especially the part at the end when you cried because you felt like a fish out of water) was better than being alone. She taught me to knit and I taught her the value of junk TV meant for teens. We learned which “Two Buck Chuck” wine we both liked and determined that any reason was a good one for champagne. She learned to cook the occasional red meat and I learned to enjoy my cereal with rice milk. But most of all, for the entire three years we lived together, we never had a bad day at the same time. This meant that when I was at my lowest, she felt confident enough to give me the words of encouragement I needed; when she was homesick, I was there to remind her of all the awesome things we were working on in our program.

For all of the drama that comes with living with someone you also work with (and we later shared an off campus employer), having my roommate meant a built-in support system, and together, we slowly got to know others in our program. I am not sure I would have accomplished this as quickly as I did if I had not had someone to help start the conversations. It is because of that one relationship that I went on to form friendships with people who have supported me in more ways that I can count. These women celebrated my marriage with me, were there in some of my deepest moments of personal despair, talked through research ideas with me, and provided me wonderful professional experiences.

All of this is relevant when approaching graduate school. Your peers are both your current and future professional community. Being professional, I believe, is crucial to being a successful graduate student, and not just for the sake of your professors. The way you present yourself in your coursework, and even socially to a certain extent, will attract people to you or put them off. They will either see you as pretentious or relatable, as a collaborator or a speed bump. They might appreciate you for your research skills and knowledge of psychoanalytic theory only, or they might know you are the person to help manage their first production after you graduate. The point is, by the time your first year is complete, your colleagues will know pretty much all your strengths and weaknesses as a professional. This becomes part of your professional identity, because you never know what institution your colleagues will end up at or who they might already know.  These people will be your greatest resource after graduation.

With that said, more than anything, these people will understand a part of your life experience that no one else can. If my experience is any indication, you will need them for years to come to help process what the graduate school experience was and how it has and will affect your future. I had a close knit group of friends from undergrad, but I missed out on them meeting their spouses. I missed out on the biggest productions they have produced in their careers thus far. I missed out on celebrating their honors and accomplishments. And they missed mine. Thousands of miles of distance will do that. However, it was my friends from grad school who I first introduced to my would-be husband. Those same women who I was so intimated by that first semester planned my bachelorette party. It was that shockingly brilliant group of people that helped celebrate my move in to my first home. So now I have two separate groups of people in my life, each with dramatically different first hand experiences. People from both eras in my life know me well, still to this day, and now I have this amazingly broad base of intelligent, driven and diverse artists and scholars that I can call on at any time. No matter what kind of professional or personal advice I might be in need of, there is someone in my life to give it. Some of them have a couple of more decades of life experience than me, others are in similar phases of life, but there is something for me to learn from every one of them. And more amazing than even that is that these women support me in everything, professionally and personally. They encourage me to do things when I am most afraid of failing, stop me before I do something in which I will definitely fail, and I know that if I do fail, they would still be there for me.

So when you meet people in your graduate program, take some time to get to know them not because of what they can do to further your career, but because of what they might offer your soul in your lowest and greatest moments. Some of them will likely become your extended family. And no matter the professional outcome of your graduate school experience, the personal rewards of these friendships will always be the greatest.

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397136_10100231328148394_276944621_nDr. Alexis Weisbord received her BFA in Dance from University of Minnesota and her PhD in Critical Dance Studies from UC Riverside. Alexis was a competitive dancer in high school and later spent over ten years directing dance competitions throughout the US. Her dissertation was entitled “Redefining Dance: Competition Dance in the United States” and she has a chapter, “Defining Dance, Creating Commodity: The Rhetoric of So You Think You Can Dance,” in the forthcoming Oxford Handbook of Dance and the Popular Screen.  Alexis has held positions as Lecturer in Global Studies at UC Riverside and Associate Faculty in Dance at Norco College. Currently she is an Associate Faculty member at Mt. San Jacinto College, Managing Director for The PGK Dance Project in San Diego, and founder/co-director of an emerging dance company, Alias Movement.

Links We Like

Links We Like

Hello everyone! Here is the newest installment of Links We Like!

 

Here are a few helpful life pro tips that could come in handy!

1. The screw end on your broom handle is the same size as your paint roller so don’t waste money on an extender

2. If you don’t have hair gel and you need some, use some sun screen or skin moisturizer

3. Use Coca-Cola to remove rust (video link: http://www.thatvideosite.com/v/11781/using-coca-cola-to-remove-rust)

4. Multi-task for muscle tone: Holding your stomach in while brushing your teeth, tightening your core through that red light. Surprising how many heel lift/crouch combos you can do while in the stand up tanning booth. Some are isometric, others active. You can be pretty creative, and while this won’t be a fitness routine, every bit helps! Just keep your balance, and your eyes on the road!

5. Putting dry tea bags or dryer sheets in smelly shoes or gym bags to absorb the unpleasant odor.

 

How to remove stems from strawberries (use a straw…get it?) ;P

 

 

 

Amazing aren’t they?

 

 

 

 

 

Free Events Thursday!

Free Events Thursday

Got a free weekend? Here are some things you can do this weekend!

 

The Nutcracker Market 

Friday-Sunday, November 8-10 starting at 10:00 am

Reliant Center
1 Reliant Park
Houston, TX 77054

Check out their website!

Ok I’m breaking a rule here by telling you this one isn’t free. I know! I know! But it only costs $13 to attend and $14 at the door. Plus who wouldn’t want to go? Once in a while I might put something up that is really cheap instead of being completely free. Which means I might have to change the title to the blog category…maybe not.

 

Mosaic’s Champagne Chat

2437 University Blvd
Houston, TX 77005

Register on Facebook!

 

Rice Theatre: Midsummer Night’s Dream

Friday, November 8 at 7:30 pm

Rice University

6100 Main, Houston, Texas 77005-1827

 

Street Art Cinema: Stick ‘Em up and Vigilante VIGILANTE

Saturday, November 9, at 7:00 pm

2402 Munger
Houston,TX 77023
http://www.orangeshow.org
713-926-6368

It’s $15 dollars to attend

 

Create Art in an Urban Backyard

For those of you who have kids.

Saturday, November 9 from 11 am-5 pm

Foelber Pottery Gallery & Studios

706 Richmond

Old-Fashioned Art Fair at Foelber Pottery Gallery & Studio. Lots of fun planned in Foelber’s urban backyard including pottery demonstrations, Adobe wall creation, kids’ activities, Raku Kiln firings, music, refreshments, and more.

 

Harry Connick, Jr. at Jones Hall

Saturday November 9th at 8 p.m.

Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, 615 Louisiana

For information, call 713-227-4772 or visit spahouston.org. $42 to $110. (This one definitely isn’t free)

 

Documentary on the Houston Ballet

Sunday, November 10th at 4 pm

The Houston Cinema Arts Festival is presenting a free screening Sunday of the documentary Houston Ballet: Breaking Boundaries. Seats are first-come, first-serve and not guaranteed. Go to the Houston Cinema Arts Festival website for more information.

 

Pop Shop Houston’s “Mini Pops” Market

Sunday, Nov. 10th, 2013 at noon

Pavement Clothing
1657 Westheimer Rd.
Houston, TX 77006

http://www.popshophouston.com

Looks really neat!

A block party with live bands, a braid bar and do-it-yourself workshops. Guests will find awesome digs at the Pavement sidewalk sale while Leopard Lounge offers a selection of collectible vintage clothing. The Golden Grill will also be on site.

 

Here’s something you can do on Monday for the Veterans if you’re available.

Houston Salutes American Heroes Veterans Day Celebration and Parade

Monday, Nov. 11th, 2013 at 10 a.m.

Hermann Square Park – City Hall
900 Smith Street
Houston, TX 77002

Eat Well Wednesday!

Eat Well Wednesday Uncategorized

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I LOVE carrot cake!  It is by far my favorite cake out there, I will take it over chocolate any day.

I am always looking for a healthy alternative to the delicious treat. Something I can have often and not get off track of my healthy, balanced eating by consuming multiple slices of cake.

The answer: Whole Wheat Carrot Cake Muffins.  They are awesome! They’re the perfect handful of sweetness to satisfy that carrot cake craving.

These muffins would make a great snack by themselves or pair them with some Greek yogurt and a handful of almonds and you have a wonderful, well-balanced breakfast.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!!!

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Jill Tarpey is leading us Wednesday by Wednesday into making better food choices and being more healthful. Tune in every Wednesday to get some great recipes and advice from someone who really knows health. In an effort to fuel her passion to serve as well has enhance the lives of others through their nutritional choices, she started Eat Well SA(San Antonio). Her vision is to educate you on how to incorporate a healthy array of foods into your life. Eat Well is not a diet, nor does it embrace any one specific dietary agenda. She also offers customized programs that are educational and teach you the tools you need to maintain healthy, well-balanced eating for your busy lives.

MFA Monday

MFA Mondays

MFA right

 

Another start to a great week and we have just what you need to kick those Monday woes:

Laura # 1

Laura Gutierrez!

Laura is a Frame dancer who will be leading us through our series of MFA Monday with her thoughts on attaining a Master of Fine Arts.

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Some questions to ponder.

When is the right time to apply for an MFA?

After graduating from a very rigorous conservatory dance program and moving to New York City in June 2009, I pictured myself landing a dream dance job and living happily ever after.

I was always very aware that choosing dance as a career (not a hobby) would bring challenges, and moving to Manhattan in the middle of the financial crisis to try to land that dream job forced me to face facts.

For the first time in eight years, I would not be taking class multiple times a day.  After attending numerous dance auditions and applying for day jobs at every retail store in the city, I finally chose to move back to Houston in the fall of 2010.  I have thought about applying for an MFA in Dance every fall since.

Most of the dancers I know who have returned to school have landed their dream job of joining a professional company or are going straight into an MFA program from undergrad.  I am somewhere in the middle.  I’ve done some research on a few schools and have talked to a few people who have graduated with an MFA in dance.  Here is what I’ve gathered thus far:

  1. Research, research, research the many program possibilities.
  2. Don’t pay for it out of your own pocket or apply for loans. (I am, of course, still paying for undergrad.)
  3. Be ready for the commitment.
  4. Decide on your concentration. (Choreography, performance, teaching?)Decide on your concentration. (Choreography, performance, teaching?)

Even though I never pictured myself moving back home so soon—or ever—I have accomplished other goals: paying my rent, earning a salary with benefits, working with and for fantastic arts organizations/ dance companies.  I have created a life for myself in Houston and it seems juvenile to get up and move elsewhere.  Still, at the end of every week I leave work with the same thought: I’m still young, and I should be dancing.

I still desperately crave the long hours of conservatory training, researching and drowning in all things dance.  I’m eager to take the next big step in my career and I feel that graduate school is a good option. But I fear that it could also be a very expensive safety net.

Is going to grad school for dance even the best option?  Or is it time to transition into a different career at the age of 25?

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get-attachment.aspxLaura Gutierrez is a graduate from the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and received her BFA in contemporary dance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. A recipient of a 2009-2010 William R. Kenan, Jr. Performing Arts Fellowship at the Lincoln Center Institute, she presented her choreography The World Within in the Clark Theater. Since returning to Houston, she has been a part of Texas Weekend of Contemporary Dance, Big Range Dance Festival, Hope Stone, Inc’s emerging artist residency HopeWerks. She was also a part of Tino Sehgals installation in the Silence exhibit at The Menil Collection and most recently performed in Study for Ocupant choreographed by Jonah Boaker at Fabric Workshop Museum in Philadelphia and Frame Dance Productions. Currently she is on Adjunct Faculty at HSPVA and is the Office Manager/HopeWerks Director at Hope Stone, Inc.

Stay tuned to hear more from Laura next week and feel free to comment on any of her questions below!