Wow! It is only the 17th of June and I have already 15 posts in for this month. Albeit a few of it being just photo posts. I will take it anyway. Cheating you say? No way, those are my photos which I took and it took time to search for them in my photo archives and to post them. They are photos which I have always wanted to share. So it is ALL mine. 🙂
Feeling prolific! Going to bask in the glory of my fleeting glory! 🙂
Bwahahahahaha!!!!
Till the next post…Toodeloos!
A cat perched on the rocky hillside of this bar orverlooking the bay.
So, I signed up for Virgin Active Genoa gym about 3 years ago. Well, maybe 4. I have not been consistent in going there as I was a lazy ass. Oh, wait…I still am. Which makes my trip back there today monumental. I am going to list what I like about the place and what I dislike about it.
Like
1. It has 2 pools, one indoor and another on the roof equipped with deck chairs for summer,
2. football pitch,
3. children’s nursery for mum who want to work-out
4. bar area for smoothies, coffee, lunch, dinner, fruit salads or just drinks
5. Spa onsite
6. Sauna and tanning area
all this besides the normal gym equipment. And all on 3 floors!
The best part is that it is very near my office and home. Which makes it inexcusable for me to NOT go to the gym.
Dislike
1. Even after going there for years, you are still required to get a medical certification every year or they will deny you access but you continue to pay. You have to go to their doctor too before. Now we go for our own. This adds costs on top of our monthly subs.
2. They don’t provide towels, so I have to bring 2 with me all the time which makes me go through all my towels so fast and the amount of laundry just for towels if I go there 3 times a week is 6 towels just for gym days.
3. No toiletries provided. So on top of the towels, I have to bring my own shampoo, soap, conditioner, cream, make up remover, cotton pads, tissues…everything! Which weighs down the bag and makes things so difficult. There are already so many things to bring. They can even provide the minimum?? Fitness First provides both towels and basic amenities, ie. shampoo, soap, cream, cotton balls/pads even slippers for the shower stalls.
4. They don’t have that many classes to take. Limited timings too. It could be because they are the ONLY Virgin Active in Genoa which doesn’t have enough members maybe for more classes. That could be because on average their subscriptions are really expensive relatively to someone’s pay here.
5. The toilet in the changing rooms are really dirty looking most of the time. I think the Italians are really bad at keeping it clean. The gym looks beautiful inside and out except for their toilets. I blame the people using them. Can’t they throw their tissue papers properly? Today, the papers were all over the floor in all 3 stalls. The sink area was all wet everywhere. Not just around the sinks but on the floor. Not just drops but puddles. So so strange. Such bad etiquette.
Actually these are really big reasons that outweigh most of the good things. Because it really weighs one down having to carry all of these.
But, I could be so picky because I am comparing it to other gyms. I am a Fitness First member as well in Malaysia and was a California Fitness member in Thailand. Though these other gyms did not have swimming pools, spa, bar area and sauna they had everything else which made things easier for me. I don’t have to lug so many things around with me. I could pare down my bag to just the exercise attire and shoes. It was most helpful when I was in Bangkok because I had to take public transport to get to the gym. A small bag would do.
Now here it is like taking everything from home just to go for a run. In the end it is better to just run around the office, go to the mini gym in the office and then straight to the showers which already has all the necessary items. Which leads to me becoming too lazy to get to the gym.
What has changed? I tried to cancel my subscription more than a year ago but the contract was already renewed and I couldn’t cancel till mid March this year before the new contract starts again in April. So we decided to suspend it for 6 months. Now, after that 6 months have past they started to charge me again for the suspended 6 months and then the contracts end. Since I am active now, I decided to make the most of it by attending some classes.
Today, I tried a strange class. Something In never heard of before. Nike Fusion. I wanted to go for a V-mat Pilates class but we had someone who came to show us some bikes that we were thinking of buying. I made it just in time for this Nike Fusion class. Interesting and strange at the same time. It says it is a amalgamation of different workouts. It uses a step board and some weights. It started of almost like a step aerobics class, then there was a lot of jumping, skipping all over the room with all the participant’s step boards all lines up. It felt like my athletics training. Running from end to end touching the boards, burpees, hopscotch up and down boards moving along the row of boards. There was also some capoeira moves. I was sweating and my heart rate was up throughout the 45 min class. All very confusing but very interesting. I will just have to wait for tomorrow to see if I touched any muscle that I have not used for a long time. I think it will hurt tomorrow. 😛
I want to lose weight. Something I struggle with since I came to Italy. You will see me blog about this occasionally. On top of that, in tandem with my paradigm shift in my mindset, I have decided I want to have “un corpo strepitoso” for this summer. A swimsuit worthy (not a six pack but maybe just a slimmer toned body) body by the 2nd of August 2012. Then continue to exercise and reach my goal of 10kgs off by end of the year.
I am using self realisation and envisioning myself in that ideal body that I have in mind for myself. Every toned body I see on TV, commercials, posters or even around me, I remind myself that that is what I want. So get my lazy ass off the couch and work at it!
Time for bed! And for my body recover. To feel the prepare myself for the pain tomorrow. 🙂
Goose night to all!
Toodeloos!
If you followed my twitter or even my update on “Life in Photos”, you will see that I had a great Saturday. I am not an avid football fan but in a land of football (soccer for Americans) you get swept into the celebrations. What’s more if your in-laws are ALL Sampdoria fans. Except for my husband, they are all Sampdoria fans. The hardcore fans are my FIL, BIL and nephew. FIL NEVER misses a game at the stadium if it is played at home. Now, if you are a football fan, you might recognise this team. I am not a hardcore football fan so I didn’t till I came here but my brother did. He follows most of the leagues especially those teams that have been in the EUFA like the other more famous teams like Juvetus, Milan AC and Inter Milan. Some cities have 2 football teams much like Manchester City and Manchester United. Truthfully, I never knew there was a Manchester City till they got into the Premier League a few year back but Man U? It would be blasphemy if I didn’t! My brother is a great fan of Man U!! I had an ex who is an Arsenal fan so, Arsenal is also known to me. To really irritate him, I will cheer for Chelsea always, doing a little dance and singing “Chelsea, Chelsea!” LOL!! All in good fun! I also never miss the World Cup. I watch it whenever I can. Suffice to say, I know more about football than M and that is not a feat. M has no interest in football except to maybe watch Italy in the World Cup every 4 years.
As I was saying, Genoa like major cities here in Italy, has 2 football teams. It seems Genoa is the older and first football team, and supposedly in Italy too. I don’t know how true this is. Then there is Sampdoria. Easily identifiable bu their colours (duh!) and the emblems (double duh!). I know, I know…. Anyway, Genoa has the Gryphon and its colours are dark blue and red affectionally known as “Rosso Blu” (Red Blue) whereas Sampdoria has the eagle and red, white, blue and black also known as “Blue Cerchiati” (Blue circle?). All Sampdorianis do not like gryphons and I say this because when we started the vespa restoration company and designed a logo with a gryphon on it, my FIL was visibly upset. It was funny! 😀 We incorporated a gryphon because the original Piaggio (the company that makes vespas) has a gryphon on it. We changed it to a dragon.
Why the big celebration? Well, last year, Sampdoria played really badly and got relegated to Seria B. Something that was unfathomnable to most. In the last 6 years here and maybe more (since my brother has heard of Sampdoria means they were quite a team) they have always been near the top of the table. And for them to do so badly and get relegated was devastating. The constant playful taunting from the Genoanas was heartbreaking for my FIL. 🙂 Poor fella! It was worse because just 2 years ago, Genoa was in Seria B and when they got up to Seria A they blazed their way to the top of the table while Sampdoria slipped down the rankings and eventually fell off the table.
But within 1 season, they are back!!! This was what all the celebrations was about. Last Saturday was the determining game and we made it!!!!!!! Wohoo!!! I am not a true fan but a fan none the less. I went with M to the historic centre to celebrate with the family. Paid a little homage to Sampdoria and saw the crazy crowd in action. Celebrations went on till wee hours of the morning. At 5 am, the horns were still honking on the streets. Whoever who watched the game at home all come out in full force to celebrate. Streets were packed, there was traffic especially near the expo centre at Foce where they have set up a open air cinema-like area for the fans to watch the game. To give you an idea how big that area is, they usually have the travelling circus or theme parks set up there complete with the area for all their caravans and 18 wheeler trucks. That is how big that area is. There was fireworks, drinking, singing, horns and loads of flag wavings! It was fun!! Even the children were out with their parents. From babies to toddlers. Some were even fast asleep among all the ruckus! I don’t know how they could sleep through ALL that noise.
It was a fun Saturday night. A different twist to the usual Saturdays. 🙂
I will leave you with videos of that night’s madness.You can even see me in one of them giving my tribute. hahahaha! 😛
Toodeloos!
I don’t know why I do this to myself ALL the time. I downloaded the photos and videos from last Saturday and while waiting, I was on the net catching up with emails, facebook…etc. As usual, I got carried away and just when I want to start blogging, I have to go. I need to go run before it gets too late and there goes another blogpost. 😦 Wait patiently…thank you!
By they way, I have always wanted Hydrangeas on my balcony and I finally got them! My overly windy balcony might just be killing them though. Lets see if they survive.
Sampdoria is back in Seria A! Blogpost coming up soon!
After reading a blog post from Misha Janette on nail art in Japan, I was inspired to finally blog about my love for nail art. Not to say I have not blogged about them before, I have, here. It was just a description of my nails more than a blog about nails. My love for nail art didn’t just come overnight. It was a long road. 😛
It all started when I joined the airline. In my airline we had to have our nails painted red at all times when at work. We were even given a colour palette to adhere to. Being a little tomboyish before I joined, I knew nothing about make up nor nail polish. I just slapped them on when it struck my fancy and away I go. Now I had to learn how to not only paint my nails, it had to be clean without any smudges or dents whatsoever. Then, I had to learn how to make the nail polish last during the flight and not chip with the heavy duty work that we had to do on board. Also because red looks really ugly on very short stubby nails, I had to keep mine a little longer. I tell you, it was a nightmare! because it chipped badly during flight, it had to be retouched during flight. Then when we landed, I had to take it off and repaint them before the next flight out. I had to let my nails breathe between paints. All this painting and taking off of nail polish did not help my nails. And those stains!! *0*
It was a steep learning curve. I shopped around for good nail polish that won’t burn a hole in my pocket.I went through maybe a bottle a month. Max 2 months. Good base and top coat nail polish was a must and highly sought after so that my nails don’t stain. I also learned how to paint with my left hand and not make a mess. Normal nail painting in itself is an art. Over time, I can paint my nails and it will dry right through (meaning it won’t get scratch or “dented” when I move around) all in a hour!! An achievement! I can still do that! I can even do french manicures on myself! *proud*
I also have an arsenal of nail care and hand care products. I have cuticle oil in a nail polish bottle in the office, in a stick for the handbag and a tube of hand cream everywhere! In my handbag, in my office, at home and next to my bed. I am obsessed! with my nails, that is. 🙂 I have a drawer at home dedicated to my nails. When my manicurist was sick for almost 6 months last year, I went crazy shopping for nail colours. I couldn’t go around with my nails all naked. It felt funny. Makes sense? I bought the most amazing colours too! most from O.P.I, some from Revlon. My top 2 nail polish brands. For nail care, Sally Hansen wins hands down! Even their nail polish remover is still the best in the market, to me.
I didn’t find any nail saloons that I really liked. Either they were too pricey or their manicurist was not as spectacular as mine. 😦 I did try the expensive ones out too but, they were just meh in quality and limited in creativity. Though I would love something like this one here, it hasn’t really caught on here in Italy. So my manicurist has forgotten how to do these. She can do the blings and draw free hand but not those clay-like designs anymore (are they called those? I forgot. If I google them, I will get distracted and NEVER finish this post). Though I did tell her I will be her guinea pig if she likes. 🙂
Aren’t they pretty?? I do admire the amazing works these nail artists do on little tiny canvasses of our nails. *tabik* (salute) When I find an amazing nail artist like this, I would love to go try them out some time. Although I love nail art, I don’t think you will see me sport anything like this next picture. I think they will be too cumbersome to go about my daily life with.
Can you see the amazing details on those little babies?? Also, these designs are not my style but…they are pretty! 🙂 But…if I lived in Japan I would probably be able to get away with something similar and outlandish. Even now, people stare at my nails. Not just because it is colourful, the work on it is amazing! Not the usual, minimal, french manicure inspired type of designs which almost everyone goes for here. Boring! bleh! Next few photos will be some of the design my fabulous manicurist did for me. I even had a neon green one before, which I LOVE!! I didn’t document all of my different nail arts. Just this few. I think I will update them as I go along…I know, I said that the last time too in my last blog. I will definitely try harder this time. I promise!
I patiently waited for her to get better and when she did, I jumped right back in! I give a carte blanche with the design. I have no colour restrictions, though she gets worried sometimes and asks me if it is ok she uses neon orange or this shimmer or that. I am like, “go right ahead man! anything!” I always look forward to my nail appointments. I have even bought her some Japanese nail magazines, steered her toward some nail websites so maybe someday she will give me something really outlandish? who knows? I have to admit though, there is a local nail magazine that is quite interesting. But so far I haven’t seen the same outlandish art yet on them. I think they will get there soon.
Now I have to just wait patiently for my next nail appointment which is very soon!!!
By the way, these are all gel on my own nails and not acrylic. 🙂
mouseytong 