I am still in awe at this article. Interview with James was great, the experience of meeting so many amazing people has been indescribable. The relationships I’ve formed and friendships I’ve forged have been some of my strongest relationship – all through CrossFit. Last year was my first attempt at the competition known as The CrossFit Open. I had about three months experience and by the end of it, I was HOOKED. This year is a totally different story. Read all about my CrossFit story, here – http://games.crossfit.com/article/rockin-open
reebok
Tour Journal. NYC. 12/10/14
There is no city more beautiful than New York, especially in the winter months. The Christmas spirit is overwhelming and oozes from every street and every intersection and the crystal, white flakes fall from the sky, blowing freely in the wind. Each flake leaves it’s mark as it kisses the faces of millions of people, some locals, some commuters, many tourists. 5th Avenue is lined with people stopped and staring at the amazing windows, decorated in the most unique and extraordinary fashions, fitted to the holiday season. Smile of amusement and awe fill the faces of people, young and old, as their heads spin on a swivel to take in as much of the city as they can. No amount of time is enough. Everyone knows about the “must sees”. The tree at Rockefeller, Central Park and it’s lights and decor, even the ever-changing colors of the Empire State Building… and don’t get me wrong, these are all more than worth seeing but, it’s the small nuances that make this city so much better and more special than maybe, any other. Tiffany’s, Trump Tour, Bergdorf & Goodman, the list is endless, and that’s just 5th Ave!!! Each block, each business, each individual window is a demonstration of beautiful art. A display of pure passion and love for art, fashion, and the holiday season.
My day began by an amazing drop in at the FAMOUS Reebok CrossFit 5th Ave.
http://reebokcrossfit5thave.com/
A long time dream of mine that did NOT disappoint. Coach/Owner Bobby K was more than hospitable. He welcomed me in with greetings and so many inquiries. We know so many of the same people, we shared travel stories, discussed the new layout for Regionals, programming and what it’s like living and running a business in NYC. So many boxes here are under fire or being sued because of location, excessive noise, etc. Not 5th Ave. They have a brilliant location, beneath a Reebok store, that’s in a basement (no noise or dropping issues), and is surprisingly large. Not large “for New York”, it’s LARGE. A beautiful rig(s) line the east wall, nearly everything is color coordinated with a prevalent and AWESOME TMNT theme (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). Black and an “ooze” green cover nearly everything in the box, aside from the smiles on nearly every coach and members face. Sensational, friendly, educated and dedicated coaches and athletes. AMAZING gear selection, from rigs, bars, balls, boxes, rings, MULTIPLE assault bikes, rowers and more. THEY GET IT.
From Reebok CF 5th Ave, I ventured up 5th Ave to take in all the bliss that is NYC in December. All the before mentioned businesses and then some. My smile never faded once, as I dodged in and out of the tens of thousands of other wanderers. Smartphones pointed in every direction and people shouted in joyful tones to one another, carolers sang in chorus and couples cuddles and kissed to stay warm. There is no better city in the month of December, than NYC.
After my 5th Ave adventure, I was starved, so I headed south (on 5th Ave) until I came to Hu Kitchen.
http://hukitchen.com/
Hu Kitchen is a paleo/primal based diner with AMAZING food. Their mantra “Get back to Human” is an expression to encourage the abolishment of preservatives, additives, and things not “naturally existing” in foods. Non-GMO (growth modified organisms for those who don’t know), dairy-free, soy-free, grain-free, and vegan friendly foods. Not only is this an great concept, it’s very well executed and the food is amazing. They have packaged food, cooked food available to order (think deli in a grocery store) and cooked to order options. Everything is ala carte and amazing. Especially the meatloaf. If you’re in the area and looking to make a conscious effort about what to put in your body, I highly recommend trying Hu Kitchen.
Darkness has set in. The snow falls steadily through the street lights of the well-lit city. People flood the streets as the 5 o’clock hour is upon us. I can’t help but reflect. Smile. And wish I could share it all with my best friend, fiance, and lover, whom I miss exponentially, when I’m here. NYC will always be a very special place to me and especially to “us”.
Time to get focused for the show. Lots of big wigs coming out tonight, none of which are any more important than a single ONE of our paying, loving, loyal fans. Thank you all. There is no city better than this, in the month of December. Love NYC.
Packed Up for Winter Touring.
The winter months are definitely a lull when compared to the average spring/summer/fall tour seasons. Less large tours, less shows in general, and rightfully so – the roads/weather get bad, people are spending money on holidays and money to travel to see loved ones, it makes sense. However, all hope is not lost. Many of the radio stations host a large, very well promoted, “end of the year Christmas show”, which is usually what we (Pop Evil) use as the base for our end of the year tour. It’s a great opportunity to get one last, strong tour in, meet and see fans and offer merch for the holidays and the perfect opportunity to visit and personally thank all the stations who so strongly support us, year around. Without the fans and the radio stations still playing and believing in rock music, I’d be looking for a new job. So from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU. With that said, I want to offer up some insight on what I pack in my bag for a winter tour.
Snow or no snow, I’m not sitting on that damn tour bus for hours of my day. It’s a dungeon. My mind and body rot. So, I need to pack accordingly. Kick off the slippers, flops, and/or “Extra” pairs of shoes for some boots. A great pair of snow boots are priceless. Rock them with denim, for fashion, snow pants, for play, or slacks for… well, don’t rock them with slacks. I recommend a few trusted brands like Sorel, NorthFace, or Columbia. Staying on track with winter gear, gloves are a must. I like to walk, play, throw snowballs and to be honest, I’m still going to throw down some outdoor WODs, so my hands needs to be protected. It’s difficult, practically impossible, to get one pair of gloves for all these tasks. So, to save on $$ and still get what I need, I suggest a nice pair of quality wool gloves for walks, photos, and outdoor activities; then a pair of athletic gloves or “mechanics gloves” for barbell work in the blistering cold. If you’ve ever lifted in the chilly weather, you know how unforgiving those steel bars are on your hands. PROTECT THEM.
In no surprise at all, I pack at least three hats/toques/boggins/beanies. I love hats. My grandma always told me “cover your ears or you’ll get sick.” I took that advice to heart, rarely don’t wear a hat, and I rarely get sick. Thanks grandma! ❤
As far as “clothes”, I kick the tanks out and replace them with longsleeves, long underwears, and my personal favorites, henleys. No more shorts, which kills me to say… Instead, I up the denim, chinos, and other mixed fabric bottoms. Stage will become mostly jeans and a tee, classic Dave Grohl. Legend. Ha!
Off stage, as I mentioned, I’m still going to WOD, outdoors. Throwing down in the cold actually has a lot of benefits for your body and fat burning metabolism. So, how do I prepare for this?
Shoes – Reebok just released an “all-weather” Nano 4.0 version which is HEAVEN SENT. Advanced with neoprene and water-resistant capabilities and all the great perks of the original Nano 4.0.
Socks – wear them. Short or tall – your choice. (I love my 110% compression socks).
Bottoms – I love and live in tights. Compression is comfy and warm. Embrace the meggings, dudes.
Shirts – I still rock long sleeve tees, or even short sleeve tees. Stay active and stay moving. Body heat is your friend.
Shades – Get yourself some Polarized lens, shades. Life changing. I LOVE my Oakleys. (Holbrook).
And, the most important components of outdoor WODs, hat and gloves. WEAR THEM. For runs, lifts, circuit training, whatever.
I can be found in shorts and a tee shirt frequently, wearing a hat and gloves. Red Wings hats seem to be the warmest.
Lastly, some days we ARE inevitably stuck on the bus. I make sure we have some indoor options. A great new book or two, movies, video games, and when all else fails – the iPhone. Haha.
I hope this helps. As always, thanks so much for your time. Bundle up, smile, and get in the holiday spirit, It’s coming whether you like it or not!
Boots:
Sorel – http://www.sorel.com/mens-caribou-boot-NM1000.html
WOD – http://www.roguefitness.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=gloves
Warmth –http://www.zappos.com/the-north-face-mens-denali-etip-glove-charcoal-grey-heather-tnf-black?ef_id=U4PbggAABIvrpR-I:20141120151155:s – I own and LOVE these.
Shoes – http://www.reebok.com/us/honor-pack
Shades – http://www.oakley.com/en/holbrook/product/W0OO9102
Here’s a link to our ’14 “Set In Stone” Tour dates. Hope to see you !!!
Joshua "Chachi" Marunde 