Day 114: Somebody pulled the cheese alarm

The sun was up as we boogied down the 405 toward Long Beach for our run clinic. Late! Arg. The group had already left and headed toward the beach, where we found them in a long line across a parking lot. Jimmy had us running sprints and swinging our arms. He talked about warming up and posture--like a marionette, hung by the top of my head.
We ran down Ocean Bulevard, a deceptive little peninsula in Long Beach that on some maps appears to have a bridge connecting it back to the mainland (no bridge, as discovered on one of my longer bike rides...).

Running at 5:45 with an empty belly is great, there is nothing to get in the way of a nice healthy run. Running on empty at 8 is an entirely different matter, it is a lot harder to maintain. Between that and my calf knotting up, I felt doomed to fail. But I did not. I maintained my run--the entire way--even when I felt like walking. I grunted, opened my gait, and slowed just a tiny bit. That magical rhythm in my breath kept me going today, and imagining that string keeping my body inline. It was a tough run, but a beautiful thing to know that I can run through the pain of a balled up muscle.

After our run, the class went to Runner's High. They had a shoe clinic. Yup, there sure is a lot to know about shoes... However, it was nearly 10 and we had just run 3 miles on an empty stomach. I was sweaty and cold and frankly, just bought new shoes which I love. After the shoe clinic, we walked to the car and made it half way around the block when we saw a sign for CHEESE! A whole storefront dedicated to the stuff! And they were just opening.

Lisa, at Venissimo Cheese, greeted us and showed us cases full of beautiful cheese. We chose a moderately stinky, washed rind cheese called taleggio , fat bright green olives and a small baton of bagette. Such a breakfast. We sat in the car, with the cheese on the window to warm and watched traffic pass. If we had turned the car around we would have been gazing at the ocean, but then our cheese wouldn't have warmed as quickly. What a fabulous breakfast!

From there, we drove to LA County Museum of Art for the Fashion through the Ages exhibit. We wandered the Ahmanson building for a few hours, looking at the history of the West go from Egypt to 1950's kitsch in a matter of a few thousand years. (as our art gets less refined, we, as a society, get more chaotic--in someways that is very good, in others, it's devastating) It's always so inspiring to see beautifully crafted things; whether it's an inlaid cabinet or well balanced painting. It is always inspiring to bring more refined beauty into my world, and since there is now way I could afford to buy it, I need to make it. I ache to make beautiful things.

By 2:00, JE and I were hungry again, so we bought a bag of trail mix and found our way to the fashion exhibit.

Honestly, the exhibit was perhaps one of the most inspiring things I have ever seen. The fabrics, the cuts, the embellishments. All so unbelievable. I kept thinking, I get to recreate this for a living! How lucky am I! There was so much to learn, so much to take with me. It was amazing! ( I had to buy the exhibit book just to have the knowledge)

JE and stood looking at a couple of mens suits from the 1700's. I pointed out the strange way the pants crease in the groin area and explained that it did that the because of the way the breech was cut, like the leg was splayed out (and then it dawned on me why) as if straddling a horse! Of course! That would have been why pants were cut like that! Duh! And there were a few pairs of breeches that were made of silk crepe. There was no Lycra back then, so anything snug like that would have had a way to move. Looking at the back of the thigh, there were several big swathing wrinkles, depicting a larger cut in the back of the seat, thus enabling the wearer to move, but being covered at all times by a tailcoat to the knee. Ah Ha!

Around 5, with all fuel burned off in excessive glee, we made our way to Cantor's deli, just a couple miles from the museum. JE ordered a special, Chopped liver and Pastrami on fresh light rye. On a whim, I ordered corned beef and cabbage. When it came, there was half a head of cabbage draped with half a pound or more of corned beef and a huge potato. Wow, there was so much food! So yummy!

On our way home we stopped at Venice Blvd to get gas. Across the street from the gas station, was a Spudnuts, a place we had seen on the travel channel, but thought only existed in Washington state. Apparently, they're all over Southern California! As full of food as we were, we had to stop! All I have to say is, spudnuts kicked doughnuts in the doughnut hole!
Youch!

I am really looking forward to planning next week, I have been thinking of some fun things to punch up my workouts!