Run Kings Island 2010

A couple weeks ago, I blogged about the benefits of running for excercise.  Well, in my quest to become more fit, I’ve been jogging for some time now that I think I’m ready for my next challenge.  I want to compete in a 5K race.  Does anyone here at Waterford Place regularly run them?  Right now, I’m running 2.5 miles per day on average.  A 5K is approximately 3.1 miles.  That’s not much more, so I think I can do it in a good time.

There is actually one coming up at Kings Island in a couple weeks…

Run Kings Island 2010 participants will receive a chance to run through Kings Island while taking in behind-the-scenes views of some of the most popular attractions.  There are three courses and each course is designed to benefit runners and walkers with any amount of racing experience.  The Beast 10k is a challenging course with large hills deep in the woods behind the 31-year-old Beast roller coaster; the Diamondback 5k takes runners on a slightly less rigorous path and includes more behind-the-scenes views of the many thrilling rides at Kings Island.  For kids, the Planet Snoopy Run will offer a half-mile course through Planet Snoopy, where they will be greeted by all their favorite PEANUTS characters, including the world’s most popular beagle, Snoopy, cheering them on to the finish.  Parents may accompany minors on this course.

Participants also get t-shirts, water bottles and admission to the park for a day.  If you’ve never been to Kings Island, it one of the best amusement parks in the region and it is A LOT of fun!  I’m thinking about making a trip of it.  It’s only about 2 hours from here up I-71 North.  Anyone ready to race with me?  You can download the registration form right here.

Mirror, mirror on the wall…

Waterford Place is a beautiful, modern-looking apartment community on the outside.  Wouldn’t you say?  So it makes sense that its residents would want to make the interior decor of their departments just as great looking and stylish.  Well, there are several ways that an apartment renter can spruce up there place.  One way is to use mirrors as part of the decor.

Mirrors are a unique decorative choice. They have the ability to make your room look larger and they reflect a lot of light around the room, giving the appearance of more space.  This is a great decorating tactic to use in small spaces. Large mirrors over sofas, mantles and dressing tables also reflect light so you have the added bonus of more natural light.

Here’s a decorating tip: Try hanging several small mirrors of different sizes and shapes together on your walls. By clustering them together, you are getting many of the perks of a large mirror while still giving the eye a variety of sizes and shapes to look at.  Give it a try and post a picture of your stylish new digs to the Waterford Place Facebook page!

(Photo Credit: interiormall.com)

Ramona & Beezus: A children’s CLASSIC

You’re probably familiar with the characters from the best-selling children’s books written by Beverly Cleary, Ramona and Beezus.  Well, now they’ve hit the big screen.  The film stars Wizards of Waverly Place star Selena Gomez and plenty of great grown-up stars, including : Sandra Oh, Josh Duhamel, Ginnifer Goodwin, Bridget Moynahan and John Corbett.

It opens in theatres this weekend, so if you’re looking for something to do wth the little ones, check it out!  Here are movie times for Village 8 Theatres, Rave Motion Pictures Stonybrook 20& IMAX and Baxter Avenue Theatres.

Burn 500 calories in less than an hour

Did you know that in less than 60 minutes of aerobic excercise, such as jogging, you can burn over 500 calories?  It’s no wonder that so many people across the globe stay fit through jogging.  It really helps do the body good and keeps you energized.

Another really great thing about jogging for excercise is that you can pretty much do it anywhere.  You can hit the road with your dog or even just hop on the treadmill here at the Waterford Place fitness center.  It’s really up to you.

If you’re a newbie looking to start jogging for excercise (or just thinking about it), an important thing to remember is to pace yourself.  Don’t try to do too much too fast.  Doing a mile or two at a time for the first week or so is perfetly fine.  And then when you start getting your legs about you, you can kick it up a notch!  If you’re still on the fence about getting started with jogging, here are a few other health benefits to think about that I found in The Runner’s Guide…

1. Jogging can help strengthen your heart.  Regular excercise will lower your blood pressure and help to promote elsticity in your arteries.
2. Jogging can help slow the aging process.  The physcial demands of the excercise actually promote bone strength.  Those who jog are less likely to experience bone and muscle loss compared to those that don’t run regularly.
3. The experience of the “runner’s high!”  When people excercise, they are usually happier and less stressed out.  There is actually an scientific explanation for that fact.  When you work-out and run your body releases hormones called endorphins that help to create a sense of euphoria.  This improves both mood and focus.

(Photo credit: lululemon athletica)

Why boycotting BP doesn’t do them much damage

I know how you feel.  You’re mad as heck at BP for the way they’ve handled the Deepwater Horizon oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico and you want them to really feel your dissatisfaction.  So, what have you done about it?

Maybe you’ve thought of picketing the BP gas station on Lexington Rd. on the way to downtown Louisville.  That’ll show them, right?  At the least, you’re going to boycott their filling stations and convenience stores in hopes that a dwindling bottom line will ruin the hefty profits that they usually rake in every year, right?  Wrong.

Consumer protests actually have no real effect on BP’s bottom line.  In fact, when people do boycott BP stations, the only people that end up getting hurt are the innocent gas station operators that have nothing to do with the oil spill.  As the New York Times pointed out…

“BP doesn’t actually own any gas stations. It licenses the BP brand out to independent station owners in a franchise model, and collects a relative pittance from the deals. So if you withhold your business from your local BP station, you’re really only hurting the local businessman or chain who owns that particular store. And what they’re being punished for is the mistake of signing up with BP instead of ExxonMobil or Sunoco.”

Oil is a globally traded comodity and there is just no way to be sure which company is responsible for the gas that goes into your car.  It only becomes BP-branded gas when additives are put in, usually at the filling station.  And if BP runs into a surplus of those ingredients, it’s very easy for them to just sell them off to other stations.

Sorry folks…the only real way to hurt BP’s pockets are to quit using petroleum based products all together.  And I’m not sure if the majority of the public is ready for that.  What do you think?

Kentucky’s best burger is made at…

A new Food Network article was recently published - titled 50 States, 50 Burgers – that stated that the best burger in Kentucky is made at none other than W.W. Cousins right here in Louisville.  Now I love a cheeseburger just as much as the next guy, but I’ve never had the occasion to eat at W.W.’s.  Have you?  Here is how the article describes their masterpiece of a sandwich…

W.W. Cousins

900 Dupont Rd., Louisville

“Hamburger”

Some people can’t have enough options. This Louisville landmark is for them: At the center of the restaurant is a 40-item burger toppings bar that’s so complex, there’s a map above it to guide you to the tartar sauce, sliced green olives, parmesan and whatever else suits your fancy.

Well, what do you say Waterford Place?  Does W.W. Cousin’s really have the best burger in the entire state of Kentucky?  Surely there must be some other contenders out there.

Watch the 2010 World Cup in Louisville

Unless you’ve just come from living in a cave, you’re probably well aware that the 2010 World Cup kicks off (literally) this weekend.  And while soccer is still a growing sport in the USA compared to the rest of the planet, it is a HUGE deal that the American team is playing in it.  Are you familiar with international soccer?  If not, I’ll give you a crash course on how the World Cup operates.

Every four years, 32 teams from across the globe compete for the title at venues within the host nation (South Africa this year) over a period of about a month.  This phase is called the World Cup Finals.  A qualification phase for the World Cup Finals takes place over the preceding three years.

In the finals there are two stages: first “the group stage” is played, followed by “the knockout stage.”  In the group stage, teams compete within eight groups of four teams in a round-robin tournament.  Every team plays three games in this stage.  The top two teams from each group move on to the knockout stage, a seeded, single-elimination tournament in which teams play each other in one-off matches, similar to the NCAA basketball tournament.  Got it?  Good!

Team USA’s first match is tomorrow against the favored Team England.  The two key players, I believe, to watch on Team USA are Landon Donovan and Jozy Altidore.  Both factor heavy into the team’s offense.  As for playing England, of course there is a nice little rivalry between the two countries that extends far beyond the soccer field (remember the little Revolutionary War thing a few years back?)  It’s the Old World vs the ambitious new kids and a Team USA victory will mark a huge step forward for USA Soccer.  The other teams in our group (“Group C” as it’s referred) are Algeria and Slovenia and we’re distinctly better than both of them.  I think we will have a good shot at advancing to the knockout stage.

If you can, watch the game live on ABC tomorrow (Saturday, June 12) at 2 pm and cheer them on.  Or if you’d really like to get into the World Cup spirit, check out Molly Malone’s Irish Pub (933 Baxter Ave.) to watch the game.  They will be doing it big for the World Cup all month long!  Or if you’re looking to watch with the family, head over to the  Mockingbird Valley Sports Arena (3000 Mellwood Ave., 40207)  at 1:30 pm and catch the game with Louisville’s own pro soccer team, the Louisville Lightning.  They will be hosting a family-friendly viewing party for $5 that is open to all soccer fans!  Burgers, hot dogs and soft drinks will be available.  Need directions from Waterford Place?  Here you go…

• Head southwest on Waterford Cir toward Tower Dr  (0.1 mi)
• Turn right at Browns Ln  (0.9 mi)
• Turn left at Shelbyville Rd  (0.5 mi)
• Continue onto Frankfort Ave  (1.5 mi)
• Turn right at Hillcrest Ave  (0.6 mi)
• Slight left at Zorn Ave  (0.9 mi)
• Turn right at Mellwood Ave and Mockingbird Valley Sports Arena will be on the right

Waterford Place delivers to FedEx

Yeah, you read it write.  We dropped off a delivery to our FedEx guy this morning…a fresh donut and some juice to be precise!

Thanks everyone for stopping by this morning and enjoying breakfast on us.  If you haven’t already, check out our Facebook page for some great snapshots of the day.  We truly enjoy being able to help everyone get off to a great start for the day.  Stay tuned for more Waterford Place breakfast days!

Poll: The Waterford Place Academy Awards

The past decade produced some GREAT movies.  Wouldn’t you agree?  Of the 10 Oscar-award winning films from the past 10 years, which two are your absolute favorite.  Take the Waterford Place Movie Poll (in the column on the right) and let us know what you think!

Sushi & Pizza: The Best of Both Worlds

Hey Waterford Place!  Just heard about a new pizza called The Sashimi Pizza from Dragon King’s Daughter on Bardstown Road in an article on Louisville.com.  It sounds absolutely delicious so I had to share it with you guys.

The pizza comes on an oblong shaped crust which can be ordered in a half size ($10) or a full ($14). The crust is piled high with organic spring mix, avocado, and red onions. Then slices of raw salmon, white tuna, and red tuna are delicately laid on their bed of greens. Finally, a drizzle of tamari-mayo finishes it off. I also find that drizzling it with a bit of soy sauce really adds something. Start off with the Lemongrass Miso Soup and add a beer and you basically have the best meal ever.

The author of the original article is from Buffalo, NY - the city where I went to school and worked in for six years.  Trust me, folks.  They KNOW their pizza up there.  Pizza and wings are to Buffalo what bourbon and baseball bats are to Louisville.  And while this isn’t your traditional crust, sauce and cheese pizza, it certainly is something that I would enjoy…especially since I love sushi too!  If you try it out, let me know what you think of it!

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