event

Fit fanatics, get excited! Spring is almost here, making it the perfect time for Self Magazine's "Workout in the Park" event, which encourages participants to get off of the treadmill and into the great outdoors of San Francisco, New York, and Chicago. It's almost like the pages of Self came to life and showed up in your own backyard!

This year's festival will feature fitness classes and beauty and nutrition consultations led by some of the best in the industry. Participants can also expect a little swag in the form of freebies and giveaways — start off by receiving a one-year subscription to Self with the purchase of a $20 event ticket. A portion of the ticket proceeds will benefit Cancer and Careers and Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Here are some highlights to look forward to:

• Alison Sweeney, host of The Biggest Loser and author of The Mommy Diet, will be on hand at the San Francisco and Chicago Workout in the Park events.
• Choose from 17 different fitness classes like Retro-Robics, Beach Body, and Masala Bhangra. There will also be classes inspired from the hit shows Glee and Dancing With the Stars.

Advance purchase is advised, and tickets for the Self Workout in the Park are on sale now. All the events start at 11 a.m. and run through 3 p.m. — rain or shine. Dates are as follow:

• April 30, 2011 in San Francisco, CA, at Little Marina Green
• May 7, 2011 in New York, NY, at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park
• May 21, 2011 in Chicago, IL, at Butler Field in Grant Park — If you're in Chicago, don't forget to check out these other fitness events in the area.

Animal lovers and art fans alike gathered at the San Francisco-based gallery/boutique Modern Eden, for the opening of new exhibit "Menagerie." The animal-inspired show included everything from contemporary paintings of Poodles and Pomeranians to sketches of French Bulldogs and Great Danes.

Our furry friends weren’t the only muses though; among the cuddly critters were plenty of snakes, birds, and crabs. The best part (aside from the great art, of course) is that a percentage of the proceeds goes to the San Francisco SPCA. For those pet/art lovers still on the hunt for the perfect piece, these are a creative way to show your animal appreciation.

Last night's episode of The Office started its opening scene with the staff of Dunder Mifflin crowding around a TV to watch the capture of the local serial killer, the Scranton Strangler. Jim nicely sums up everyone's fascination when he says, "Some events are so historic that you have to stop everything to watch. Balloon boy. Michael Jackson's funeral. Things that if you didn't see them live you wouldn't really care that you didn't see them at all."

The most recent event that had our office jumping out of our seats was the Giants parade — its route was right alongside our workplace so we had a pretty good view of it from our windows. Another time was when a car near our building exploded and burst into flames. Smoke filled the air, and we got out of our seats to see what was going on outside. What kind of events got you and your co-workers out of your chairs?

Photo courtesy of NBC

It was one of my goals to attend a professional mixer, and ideakick seemed to suit my purposes. Basically, it's a smorgasbord of brainstormers coming together to feed off of each other's ideas and suggestions. You know the genius idea you had in the shower? Well, ideakick is the perfect place to see if your shower-inspired idea is awesome or just plain crazy; the line between the two can be quite fine sometimes. The premise behind the meetup is brilliant: anyone who wants to present gets 10 minutes to pitch an idea and receive feedback from people.

To hear some of the amazing pitches, including playing air guitar on an iPhone, read on.

This week I was lucky enough to see Chris Sharma speak at my climbing gym, Planet Granite in San Francisco. In the world of rock climbing, Chris is a rock star, and many argue that he is THE best. Climbing since the age of 12, he is an inspiration to watch — the level at which he climbs can only be matched by a handful of folks in the world.

No matter who you are, the lessons Chris has learned through his climbing can apply to you. As we sat looking at his photos and videos of his climbing career and life, he kept going back to the idea that his biggest source of motivation comes from a passion and love of the sport that almost borders on obsession. Chris says that no matter what you do in life, find something that you truly love, and never be afraid to take risks.

To find out what I learned from listening to Chris speak, read more

Want to add some easy Fall style to your next table setting? Then take this tip from event designer extraordinaire Preston Bailey. Glue Fall leaves (especially desiccated ones, like these) to the exterior of plain glass votives. The candlelight will add a beautiful glow to the table, and illuminate the shape and details of the leaves.