Free Yoga!

Interested in doing Yoga? You can't beat the price at Yoga Today. Though I've fallen a bit out of practice, these routines are great for the beginner and each last about an hour. There are always four different episodes to choose from with three different instructors. They are even in High Def.

I personally like the ashtanga routines as they are the most physically demanding, but let me know what you like in the comments.

Don't drink the water

Check out what it takes to bring you Fiji water.

I think it is pretty safe to say the backlash against bottled water is certainly gaining steam.

Do you drink bottled water?

Stock up on groceries

Amazon has some pretty good deals on non-perishable items these days. They have been promoting it pretty heavily and offer free shipping for orders over $25. Think of it as going to Costco's or BJ's without actually having to go there. There are some pretty good values on things like Clif bars and razors.

Another cool feature Amazon has added is subscribe and save. Here you can sign up to receive items you'll need on a recurring basis and Amazon will send them to you every couple of months (you specify the time period). Better yet, you get a 15% discount.

Voza Restaurant

949 Columbus Ave
(between 106th St & 107th St)
New York, NY 10025 (212) 666-8602

My girlfriend and I went here last Saturday night around 7 and there wasn't a soul in the place. Normally I would head the other way, but the interior was nice and the place is about half a block from my apartment. It is bring your own alcohol so we picked up a bottle of wine.

The food was excellent. I would recommend the pork chop, and the salad we had was simple, but made with quality ingredients. The interior is nice, as was the woman from Albania who runs the place. There are only about 5 tables and you can see the chef cooking from your table. He wanted to be sure we enjoyed ourselves, and we did. We had poached pear with Valhrona chocolate and ice cream for dessert, which was delicious.

In case you were wondering about the name Voza, it means wine barrel in Albanian.

A great neighborhood restaurant where you can have a nice meal for 2 for about $60 (wine included).

Launchy

Launchy is described as a "open source keystroke launcher for Windows." Open source means it is free, and the keystroke launcher means rather than using a mouse you can simply press the alt+tab keys to open a box in which you can type the initial few letters of the program you want to launch (start).

It is one of my favorite new programs because of its simplicity and efficiency. Others agree as it has been nominated for three awards this year.

Take the time to check out Launchy. You'll spend less time with your mouse and less mouse/more keyboard always makes things faster.

Need a new keyboard? Since I'm spending hours in front of a computer these days, I recently purchased a Microsoft Natural Ergonomic keyboard and I couldn't be more pleased. If you have even the slightest problem with wrist pain or carpal tunnel, I'd recommend picking one of these up. The keyboard slopes downward and thus reduces pressure on the wrist.

Grom Gelateria

Checked out Grom Gelateria on 76th and Broadway and I must say I was impressed. One should be impressed for $4.75 for a small cup. There was a longish line of about 10 people.

I had the Fior di latte (a mint flavor) and the flavor of the month, pesca ciocolatto (peach and chocolate). A lot of care is taken into finding the right ingredients. Ecuadorian chocolate, sfusato lemon from Amalfi, Guatemalan coffee, Sicilian pistachios, etc. Grom is a member of the slow food movement, something worth checking out if you have a few minutes.

Grom seems to be doing things right. I spoke with someone working there who was from Turin and she seemed genuinely excited about the product. Another plus, their pistachio gelato isn't green--a sure way to separate quality ice cream and gelato from the inferior stuff.

Interested in trying your own hand at gelato making? If I had the money, I would consider the Lello Gelato Pro 4090. If you do have the money, let me know what you think of it!

Brooklyn Bridge Park Beach

It's hot in New York and what better way to cool down than the beach.

After taking the Series 7 exam (5 hours) I decided I needed to cool down. I picked up a $4 bathing suit (it is hideous) and hopped on the express 2 (or 3) train to Borough Hall in Brooklyn. To get to the "beach," find Joralemon street and walk towards the water until you see a wooden sign that says beach. Follow that sign and you'll soon find the floating pool and Brooklyn Bridge park beach. I got there around 3:30 and had to wait until 4:00 to get a wristband, then until 5:00 to actually swim. Bring a book.

Poolside is a bit of chaos, but it adds to the atmosphere and there is a lap lane if you are serious about swimming. The views are unsurpassed and plenty of room to lie out and enjoy the sun. Around the beach, there is a Harry's of Water Taxi beach fame selling hot dogs and soy dogs. There is also ice cream, lots of picnic tables, chairs for rent, volleyball and soccer.

I'd imagine you'd be crazy to try and go here on the weekend, but if you find yourself with a couple hours on a weekday morning of afternoon, I'd definitely check it out. If for nothing else, I imagine this is one of the best views of Manhattan.