August 11, 2010
I went to Fleet Feet today in Chicago because I was told they they put you on a treadmill and analyze your run. Which they did. They made me a wear a “test shoe”, a Mizuno brand that was very lightweight and relatively bare boned. A laptop sits behind the treadmill and records the motion of your feet directly behind the heel (similar to the perspective in the photo above). Then, you and the sales person watch the video together to figure out how much your ankle pronates or supinates. Most people pronate, and I was told I pronated slightly. They also measure the width and arch of your foot. After the measurement and video, the sales person let me decide between the Mizuno Wave Inspire 6, Brooks Ravenna, and a New Balance 7xx. I also asked to try on a Vibram Five Fingers, but it felt like I was walking on a hard, cheap flip flop. I wound up going home with the Mizuno Wave Inspire 6 because it was a little more cushion-y and the feel was more familar and least invasive. The Ravenna was temping because the flex point was curved quite a bit so the emphasis is on balancing on the balls of your feet as opposed to the heel.

I went to Fleet Feet today in Chicago because I was told they they put you on a treadmill and analyze your run. Which they did. They made me a wear a “test shoe”, a Mizuno brand that was very lightweight and relatively bare boned. A laptop sits behind the treadmill and records the motion of your feet directly behind the heel (similar to the perspective in the photo above). Then, you and the sales person watch the video together to figure out how much your ankle pronates or supinates. Most people pronate, and I was told I pronated slightly. They also measure the width and arch of your foot. After the measurement and video, the sales person let me decide between the Mizuno Wave Inspire 6, Brooks Ravenna, and a New Balance 7xx. I also asked to try on a Vibram Five Fingers, but it felt like I was walking on a hard, cheap flip flop. I wound up going home with the Mizuno Wave Inspire 6 because it was a little more cushion-y and the feel was more familar and least invasive. The Ravenna was temping because the flex point was curved quite a bit so the emphasis is on balancing on the balls of your feet as opposed to the heel.

1:27am  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/Z3ZNFytnF6_
(View comments) 
July 2, 2010
Common Threads Recently, I discovered Common Threads, a Chicago organization started in 2003, that partners with public schools in “food deserts” to teach them to cook nutritious, affordable meals. I first read about “food deserts” in Jill Richardson’s book “Recipes for America”, where she cites an interesting 2006 study “Examining the Impact of Food Deserts on Public Health in Chicago”. In short, Richardson points out that body weight and grocery store distance are tightly correlated. I discovered Common Threads from The Bristol’s web site, who is on the Executive Chef Board and supports locally sourced and seasonal food. The attached photo is a West African peanut soup recipe from Common Thread’s $25 “Eat the World: Good-for-You Food for Families” cookbook.  I continue to see examples of grassroots organizations, thriving by major corporation sponsorship. In Common Threads case, the $30,000 - $74,999 donor is Sara Lee, a processed food giant headquartered here in a Chicago suburb (Downer’s Grove, Illinois). I do find it interesting that Art Smith, co-founder of Common Threads and chef/owner Table Fifty-Two in Chicago, blasts processed foods as “never meant to eat… and can sit for weeks on the shelf at the local gas station” as noted in the Huffington Post. My purpose isn’t to make light of the incongruity, but rather applaud Sara Lee to look past their bottom line to keep this organization running. Furthermore, another corporation LaSalle Bank commissioned the study “Examining the Impact of Food Deserts on Public Health in Chicago” I earlier mentioned. Although this stat comes from the bias of Common Thread’s web site, it’s still inspires me to get involved: “82% of Common Threads’ students limited their junk/fast food intake to one or fewer times per week.” Their 2010 summer camp is at 63rd and Halsted, with 12-4pm volunteer hours on Mon-Thurs. I hope to make it there…

Common Threads

Recently, I discovered Common Threads, a Chicago organization started in 2003, that partners with public schools in “food deserts” to teach them to cook nutritious, affordable meals. I first read about “food deserts” in Jill Richardson’s book “Recipes for America”, where she cites an interesting 2006 study “Examining the Impact of Food Deserts on Public Health in Chicago”. In short, Richardson points out that body weight and grocery store distance are tightly correlated.

I discovered Common Threads from The Bristol’s web site, who is on the Executive Chef Board and supports locally sourced and seasonal food. The attached photo is a West African peanut soup recipe from Common Thread’s $25 “Eat the World: Good-for-You Food for Families” cookbook. 

I continue to see examples of grassroots organizations, thriving by major corporation sponsorship. In Common Threads case, the $30,000 - $74,999 donor is Sara Lee, a processed food giant headquartered here in a Chicago suburb (Downer’s Grove, Illinois). I do find it interesting that Art Smith, co-founder of Common Threads and chef/owner Table Fifty-Two in Chicago, blasts processed foods as “never meant to eat… and can sit for weeks on the shelf at the local gas station” as noted in the Huffington Post. My purpose isn’t to make light of the incongruity, but rather applaud Sara Lee to look past their bottom line to keep this organization running. Furthermore, another corporation LaSalle Bank commissioned the study “Examining the Impact of Food Deserts on Public Health in Chicago” I earlier mentioned.

Although this stat comes from the bias of Common Thread’s web site, it’s still inspires me to get involved: “82% of Common Threads’ students limited their junk/fast food intake to one or fewer times per week.” Their 2010 summer camp is at 63rd and Halsted, with 12-4pm volunteer hours on Mon-Thurs. I hope to make it there…

8:16pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/Z3ZNFyjVS8g
(View comments)