Today was a day of running errands with my mom. They were the kind of errands that you enjoy adding to your list of things to accomplish; nothing awful like paying bills or renewing drivers licenses.

Today’s Agenda:
8:30 AM – Morning run/Biggest Loser Bootcamp DVD (I <3 U Bob!)
10:30 – Playmaker’s in East Lansing
11:30 – Lunch (wherever the road takes us)
12:30 PM – check out the “healthy store” in East Lansing
Who knows what the afternoon brings. Those are sometimes the best way to plan the day.

8:30 AM – Morning run/Biggest Loser Bootcamp DVD
My plan was to just run on the treadmill since I didn’t want to go very far. Also, in order to get to my usual trail, you have to run through busy downtown people/automobile traffic. 8:30 was a little too busy to barely make it to the trail.
I ran two miles in 18:17 – not the fastest, but my legs must have still been in bed cuz they were TIRED! The DVD went a lot better than the run. There’s just something about Bob Harper counting down my single-leg squats that motivates me to keep going, more so than any other celeb coach. I like my workout gurus like my coffee: strong, soothing, and gay.

10:30 – Playmaker’s in East Lansing
(Photo Source)
The goal was to help my mom find a pair of walking sandals. This has been the goal since about 1973 as my mom has the world’s most stubborn pair of feet to buy shoes for. She’s notorious for needing a specific pair of shoes and never being able to find them for a variety of reasons: too expensive, not enough support, high arch support, no arch support, there’s a strip of color on the white/black of the shoe, pinches toes, too loose in the heel, too trendy, too “Grandma Mabel,” too much heel…not that I’m counting.
But these are all legitimate issues. My shoes are the least of my worries; I’m exactly like her when it comes to finding the right pair of pants. Most of the time, those damn size 6 jeans are just cutting off my circulation a little snug.
Anywho – this was my first time going to Playmaker’s. They’re known to be the leading authority in everything running. It’s a beautiful store; I was immediately distracted mesmerized by the jungle in the back.

While Mom browsed around, I decided to scope out the rest of the store.

I also found this little number; I figure that a nice summer dress will come in hand for rehearsal dinners and wedding events coming up in the next few months.

I decided to mosey back to the sales area and check on Mom. The most amazing and helpful man was running the shoe department like a champ. His name was “Coach.” He’d been coaching high school basketball for forty years at a local high school, a few years at various colleges including the University of Michigan. Now he spends his days helping the uneducated runner buy the right shoe.

Coach helped me find the perfect pair of running shoes. Yes, I already have a pair, but they’re black and that doesn’t go with all my new running outfits. And I am a chick, so don’t roll your eyes please. Anyways, Coach diagnosed me with “slight arches” and good balance. Semi-support would be good, but not necessarily needed. Literally I tried on, heel-stomped, tile-walked, and one-leg-balanced 9 pairs of shoes before coming home with these babies:

Oh yea, and Mom didn’t find anything, so we left. Shocker.

11:30 – Lunch (wherever the road takes us) 1:37 PM – Lunch @ Dusty’s Cellar
Ummm, yea. We were at Playmaker’s for over two and a half hours. I swear, my feet were not the time bandit. I won’t name names, but I think we both know who was the more difficult shopper. I’m just saying.
Dusty’s Cellar is one of those places that you feel like you can’t wear jeans to, but open-toed shoes are acceptable. Your waitress might either have more education than you or be the recently graduated gal who hasn’t learned not to set your drink down by wrapping her hands around the mouth of your glass. It’s a medium-swanky place.
It was my first time eating there, and I was charmed by the wine theme that they offered to enhance your dining experience. The table tops are laminated wine crates, a creative method of recycling.

I ordered the Trio of Sashimi Tuna “Sliders”; Mom the Toasted Cashew Dusted Monte Cristo. Our sandwiches arrived and I immediately felt like pointing my pinky in the air as I nibbled on my miniature sandwiches.

And I loved that my buns weren’t buttered before being grilled (that’s what she said) like most places.

Mom’s food looked wonderful as well.

The best part about our lunch was that neither of us felt as if we’d over indulged, which was good because I was putting all my faith in mankind in the taunt thread holding my button on my pants for all it was worth.

And just when the receipt was signed, these two darlin’s showed up.

12:30 PM – check out the “healthy store” in East Lansing 2:30 PM – Foods for Living

Our last stop of the day, and another first for both Mom and I. There were a lot of repeats from my Whole Foods shopping experience, but a lot of products that grabbed my attention.

(Yea, that’s two poop-jokes in a row. Sorry. I’ll clean up my act)

All in all it was a fruitful trip. It’s a hell of a lot closer than Whole Foods so it’ll satisfy my health nut needs.

My favorite purchase of the day was this HUGE tub of yogurt.

My intention for the photo was to demonstrate the immense size of the container, not imply that my head is big. I think I got a little carried away with the photography.