Who Says Mondays Can’t be Fun!?

Back in California I’d go to the movies 1-3 times a week. To the matinee, where the price is half off. I could walk to the movie from my house. I’m a total and complete movie nut. When I was a kid, my grandmother used to take me to the movie theater in downtown Detroit on West Grand Boulevard. It was a glorious place, with chandeliers in the lobby and the screen had a red velvet curtain that would open slowly just as the movie was starting. There were no ads then, no trailers, just the movie in all its glory.

It took me about 7 years living here before I went to the movies. I don’t know why, I just thought the theaters themselves wouldn’t be like the ones back home. I went to one in Mexico once, in Cabo San Lucas, and it was horrid. Packed with sweaty, smelly people, standing room only, to watch some B-rated movie in Spanish with no subtitles. I left pretty quickly and went to Carlos & Charlie’s instead for a hard-hitting Margarita!

Sri Lankan theaters in Colombo are not bad at all. I like the one at Majestic City and the Savoy. The quality of the popcorn could be upgraded quite a bit. In fact that’s one of the reasons I went to the US theatres – the popcorn is super duper!

On Monday I went to see ‘Mr. Peabody and Sherman’ and enjoyed it thoroughly, even though I fell asleep for about 8 minutes. My friend who I went with woke me and caught me up on the plot and I was quickly up to speed.

After that, we went to a new place I’d only heard of but never visited; Simply Strawberries. WOW, what a great little find that is! I ordered the Strawberry Sundae and loved every bite of it. I only thought for about 3 seconds of how I’m trying to lose weight and that I’d pay for eating my favorite food group--ice cream--at the gym the next day! But hey, a girl’s gotta have some fun! I suggest you try it out!

Note: These photos were taken with my friend's phone, since I forgot the camera!

Comfortable seats at the Savoy. Big screen.

A fun DreamWorks film.

Great little hideaway - Simply Strawberries!

Yummy Strawberry Sundae!

There goes another 10mins on the rowing machine!

Check out my Sri Lankan wedding photography, travel photography, portrait photography, female photographers, commercial photography at my website at: http://www.shadetreeSL.com

© ShadeTree Productions

When Tennis Shoes Fail

I was at the gym, on the treadmill and going along at warp speed, when suddenly I was stepping on a lump. I quickly hit the ‘stop’ button and looked down and saw nothing. Could it have been a rat? A chipmunk? When I took a step back to look, I felt the lump again. Looking at the bottom of my shoe, I noticed that the sole had come loose. Flap. Flap. Forced to take them off, I finished my workout in my stocking feet. Not easy to do.

So, yesterday I went to one of the Nike stores in town to check out their shoes. Never before have Nike shoes fit me. I’ve always gotten Saucony shoes as they fit better in the heel. But they don’t sell Saucony in Sri Lanka. So, I crossed my fingers and went to the Nike store.

After trying on a billion pairs, I found ones that fit. Of course the really, really cool ones didn’t come in my shoe size, so I settled for the pretty, bright turquoise ones. At least now I can work out in shoes instead of socks! And in style. In fact, I was thinking that they are so pretty, that I could wear them to the next wedding shoot. What do you think?

The six-year-old broken Saucony tennis shoes.

I glued it twice!

The new choices - actually one 2 choices

as the other ones were not my size 40.

I really liked the ones at the top - the

orange and red ones! Alas.

The good fit.

Decision made!

 

Check out my Sri Lankan wedding photography, travel photography, portrait photography, female photographers, commercial photography at my website at: http://www.shadetreeSL.com

© ShadeTree Productions

Get in Shape, You Got a Reunion To Go To!

I’m hot and sweaty. Fresh (if you could call me that) from the gym. I went to Body by Kris for a test workout to see if using the treadmill for 20minutes would damage my already damaged ACL. Or if time on the rowing machine would irritate my damaged rotator cuff. So far so good. I did some stretches as well, but next time (if there is one) I’ll do the stretches that I learned from my yoga class before the workout. Makes sense.

In the US, I always belonged to a gym. One time I was training to go with a boyfriend to climb to Base Camp on Mount Everest in Nepal. Boy, did I train. I was a machine. I had heard the horror stories of people dropping like flies who weren’t in shape for just Base Camp and I didn’t want to be one of them. Unfortunately I never got to find out how I stood in the mix as the man who was sponsoring the trip had a heart attack. How rude of him; after all my training!

The rowing machine at Body by Kris was like going home; so familiar and welcoming. I know how to row. I was a member of the Long Beach Rowing Club for several years and learned from former Olympians. I even raced with a team of eight. Today I could only do about 5minutes on the machine, but I have a feeling that that’s the machine that will get me into shape. I was never in better shape than when I rowed. Too bad it’s not on the water, in a real shell. Perhaps if I get strong enough at the gym I’ll have enough guts to check out the rowing club in Colombo!

I’ve gotten fat in Sri Lanka. Not during the first two years when I lived down south and went swimming every day, walking up and down the hill that the hotel sat on, but the last few years is when I’ve ballooned up. Lack of exercise is the main reason. Oh I’ve tried. I used to walk early in the morning on the sidewalks around my other house. But the sidewalks here are uneven and I found myself, more than once, face down from tripping on the curbs that are all different heights.

Now that I’m near the beach, I’ve gone walking on the beach, but I find it very difficult to walk on a slant and in the sand. When I tripped over the railroad tracks to get to the beach and sprained my pinkie finger, I gave up the those walks. I don’t know why I fall so much, except that I’ve always been doing it. One year I was on crutches more than I was off them, from sprained ankles. I’ve sprained my left one 15 times (yes, it’s true!). I started young; when I jumped off the barn hayloft next door on a dare.

So, for now I’ll stick to the treadmill where I can hold onto the sides and walk evenly and hopefully day dream without looking at the lighted numbers on the control panel every 5 seconds! One more minute down, another 14 and counting. 55 calories and counting. It’s annoying!

I didn’t sign up today for the ‘over 60’ package; am waiting for tomorrow to see how my body holds up to the pounding I gave it this morning!

20mins at speed of 4.

I did it!

My favourite, the rowing machine!

The 'before' picture.

You'll have to wait awhile for the 'after' pic.

A team of eight. I pulled this photo from

the Long Beach Rowing Club site.

To train for a race, we used to do (4) 2,000meter sprints at 5AM!

Check out my Sri Lankan wedding photography, travel photography, portrait photography, female photographers, commercial photography at my website at: http://www.shadetreeSL.com

© ShadeTree Productions