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Showing posts with label Running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Running. Show all posts

Tips For Running Your Very Own Coffee Shop

Running your own coffee shop is not as simple as it may first seem. A coffee shop unlike any other business will see many people enter and exit the shop throughout the day. Most people will spend no more than 10 minutes in the shop on average. The high amount of foot traffic is what makes running this type of business hectic both for owners and employees. Below we take a look at a few tips which should help you run a clean and profitable coffee shop.

Tip no. 1

Your employees need to be courteous, helpful and knowledgeable. Employees who are courteous will make customers feel comfortable mainly because many times people do not know much about coffee. Having baristas with knowledge will help customers make the right decisions. Spending a few minutes chatting with customers will also influence their decision to return for another cup a few hours later or the next day.

Tip no. 2

Offer free Wifi! Back when Wifi was still unheard of by regular people cafe owners were the first to offer this service to writers, students and anyone else who happened to have a WiFi enabled laptop. By providing free internet many cafe owners are able to encourage people with smartphones and laptops to stay longer which in turn mean that they sip more coffee.

Tip no. 3

While most people don't expect to spend too much time in a coffee shop making it comfortable will certainly encourage people to stay longer than they want. Things should be clean and neat with a series of easy to reach waste bins. You can also hang paintings and play some relaxing music so that people feel more comfortable.

Tip no. 4

The one reason why people visit a coffee shop is obviously for coffee but this does not mean you can't sell a few extras. Many coffee shops make a sizable chunk of their income from selling croissants, breakfast and sandwiches.

Tip no. 5

Having a separate line for specialty coffee is a great idea. When you're running a coffee shop you need to be fast and efficient. However, the one thing that causes a bottleneck during these so called peak hours is people ordering specialty coffee. So by providing them with a separate line and counter you're speeding things up significantly.

Tip no. 6

You should hold a cupping session for the baristas working for you. This is similar to wine tasting except for here coffee is being tasted. Cupping sessions are very helpful when it comes to training employees to describe various coffee flavors as well as understand the different types of blends. Also, cupping is essential to improving the taste and texture of the coffee being prepared in your cafe.

Making your coffee cafe a success requires hard work and love for you business. The more you love your business the harder you will work and you will never feel as if you're working too hard to be successful.

White N Two sells the best waste baskets, bins and other coffee equipment aimed at professionals who want to be known for their excellent brews of coffee. Visit http://whitentwo.com.au/ to purchase the best equipment today.
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Manhattan Beach Yuletide 5K Run 2012

Manhattan Beach Yuletide 5K Dec 2012
Manhattan Beach Yuletide 5K

Yesterday, my friend Melissa and I ran the Manhattan Beach Yuletide 5K on the beach. This was my first time running this race in the glow of the moon, holiday lights on the pier and glow necklaces.

The 5K goes from the Manhattan Beach Pier to 45th Street and back. After, they had a kid's run with adorable and fast little tots. Many people dress up with outstanding costumes and hats. Some were wearing full-on battery-powered Christmas lights wrapped around themselves and sometimes their strollers...very cute!

Getting my glow sticks on at the manhattan beach 5k.
Everyone received a glow necklace that reminds you of a carnival or Disneyland. It was also FREEZING. Um, I know the use of the word "freezing" by a native Los Angeles girl may be laughed at by others...but it was really cold outside. The low was 48 degrees on Saturday and it felt it.

Manhattan Beach Christmas 5K run on the beach! It's freezing...but festive.
The Manhattan Beach Pier is decorated with simple lights and the "tree" at the end of the pier was a beacon of "you are almost done." I've never run on the beach as I usually have Ms. Cidney the Dog with me (only a few Los Angeles area beaches allow dogs on the beach). It was harder than asphalt but oh so beautiful. Running under the moonlight with the waves rolling besides you...if it weren't so dark, it would totally be a postcard of beautiful Los Angeles living.
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Torrance Turkey Trot 2012

Torrance Turkey Trot 2012
Torrance Turkey Trot 2012

I woke up early on Thanksgiving not with visions of pie in my head, but with running in mind! (well, that's not true, I'm pretty much always thinking about dessert ;)

Thanksgiving morning started with the Torrance Turkey Trot! My friend Dave ran by my side for the third year running this 3-miler (just a wee bit short of a 5K). As you may know, I picked up running a few years ago and the 2010 Trot was my first race. I've gone in and out of running since, and never finished a 5K without walking part of it. But this time? I ran the entire thing! Woo hoo. And my time was a personal best!

Torrance Turkey Trot
Phil (see his turkey presentation at Friendsgiving) ran the race for the first time and ran it in 22 minutes! He then waited for near the finish line and helped me sprint to the finish! Thanks Dave and Phil for running with me.

And what does running/walking a Turkey Trot give you? Oh yes, the golden ticket to eat all day. :) I'm sure the few rolls I ate replenished those calories and more...but who's counting on T-Day? :) I hope you had a wonderful and joyful Thanksgiving Day too!
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weSPARK 5K Run at Universal Studios Hollywood

Universal weSPARK 5K Run 2012
weSPARK 5K Run at Universal Studios Hollywood

Woo hoo! I ran my second 5K of the year. I'm trying to get back into running by running a 5K at least every two months.

I've been wanting to do this run for a couple years and it finally fit my schedule. It was a blast! You should definitely try it if you in Los Angeles. You get to run the backlot of Universal Studios...like being on the tram, but on foot...your own feet! You pass the Psycho House, Jaws lake, Grinch's winter wonderland, War of the World plane crash, Desperate Housewive's Wisteria Lane among other sets. They had several characters along the way including Phantom of the Opera and Indiana Jones.

And, the race was started by Mark L. Walberg (no, not Marky Mark) - this is the nice guy from Antiques Roadshow and my favorite Schmidt of New Girl, Max Greenfield (love that show!)

The first two miles were pretty flat, but the last part was pretty hilly. My first two mile splits were pretty good for me, but the hills, as usual, slayed me. However, I was busy taking in all the sights too. Luckily, two friends took photos along with route and shared them with me. Thanks Khadijah and Dave (see Dave's post here)

My favorite view!!!!!
Whew! My favorite view of the race! :) Put the weSPARK 5K and 10K on your calendar for next year!
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Mary's Promenade on the Peninsula 5K - Rollings Hills Estates

Promenade on the Penisula 5K October 2012

A few Sundays ago (October 14, 2012), I woke up and looked at my Google calendar. Earlier, I noted that a local 5K was happening, but never signed up. That morning, I decided to just do it!

The race is called Mary's Promenade on the Peninsula 5K Run/Walk to benefit the YWCA Harbor Area & South Bay, and the Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation (MDF). Mary's family lovingly spoke of her, and I believe gathering so many people together to honor and raise funds in a tremendous effort. I hope they raised a lot of money for services and research!

Palos Verdes, Palos Verdes Estates, and Rolling Hills are hills in the South Bay area of Los Angeles. Amazing views of the ocean as well as the city below. It is a lovely place to live with horse trails, and top ranked schools...and top real estate prices. For sure I'll never be able to live there, but it is great place to visit. :) For this race, the Rolling Hills were freaking LITERAL. As a "beginning" runner (um, for the last three years), I found the course really tough. Seems like the whole thing was kinda uphill!

My time was turtle slow, but I finished, and that's what counts!

P.S. If you want to start running/jogging, I love the Get Running App from Splendid Things (available for iPhone and Android). I wrote about it here. I don't work for them or get anything for this recommendation. I just really like this app - I used it a few years ago, and just recently used it again to get myself back into running. My friends have also used it and found it really encouraging and helpful!
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2011 L.A. Cancer Challenge - Halloween 5K

My friend Dave, I mean Fred - 2011 L.A. Cancer Challenge - Halloween 5K
2011 L.A. Cancer Challenge - Halloween 5K

I'm way late in posting this, but I want to keep track of my 5Ks! Near Halloween, my friend Dave and I ran the 2011 L.A. Cancer Challenge. This run raised funds for the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.

5K Run - Los Angeles - Halloween
They had a 10K and 5K...my friend Dave (of the marathon Davey Pops) ran BOTH. First the 10K, then a short rest and ran the 5K with me! Amazing. And he did it dressed up as Fred Flintstone! My cardio needs much improvement so I walked up most of the hills around the VA in West LA.

Finally, this poster for Team Linda reminds us why the were all there. Cancer, you suck.
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Torrance Turkey Trot 5K

City of Torrance Turkey Trot 5K
Torrance Turkey Trot 5K

My running buddy and long-time UCLA friend, Dave and I ran the Torrance Turkey Trot again. Last year, it was my first 5K! After a year of running on and off, my endurance still sucks, but I'm plugging away. Next year, I hope I can finish without walking.

The City of Torrance's run is pretty big for a Thanksgiving morning Turkey Trot (almost 4,000 people). I took some photos of these runners who dressed up for the holiday!

I love the Turkey Trot because it's basically an all-you-can-eat pass for the day. ;)

I'm signing up for the Manhattan Beach Christmas Day evening beach run (everyone gets a glo necklace!) so I can eat lots more pie. Hee hee.
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Get Running App Winners

Congratuations on the ten winners of the Get Running App!

Winners (listed below) will be receiving an email from me with the code to pick up the app in the Apple store.

Thanks everyone for entering! Don't fret if you didn't win...the app is only $1.99 and your health is worth at least that much!

- mary the food librarian

Winners:
Drawn using Random.org
Comment # / Name
2 Isabel
3 Emily
7 Topher / Chris M.
9 booksNyarn
15 Audrey
17 Kim
26 Naomi
33 Kimberleyblue
35 Ann MT
43 Bec
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Get Running App - Giveaway!

GetRunning app giveaway
Last year, I wanted to try this crazy thing called "running." My friends do it. I've heard some good things about it. And it doesn't require a gym membership.

I heard about the popular Couch to 5K program...taking you from couch potato to a 5K or at least 30 minutes of running in less than 10 weeks. I didn't believe it.

But then I purchased the Get Running App from the Apple store (only $1.99) and loaded it on my iPod Touch.

And wouldn't you know it? It totally freaking worked!

Starting with 1 minute runs (I wanted to die during the first ones), the program gradually gets you running! An English woman gets you going with encouragements. You can read my detailed account of the app on this July 2010 post (including me hating the woman who speaks to you at first, then liking her)

Some programs have little bleeps or bells, but Get Running has an English woman guiding you through the workout and gives you encouragement. She says things like:

Today we are going to run... five 10-minute runs
You are halfway done, turn around and head home if you need.
You have one minute left (with enthusiasm)!
You have run 20 minutes! You have 5 minutes remaining.
Today's run is only 2 minutes longer than last week.
Great job! Congratulations!


The nice peeps at Get Running have given me 10 apps to give away so you can try the program out! The program is compatible with the iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. Before you laugh at the idea of someone running with their iPad (like I was), people had used the iPad with their treadmill. Ahhh...that makes sense. But it's only compatible with those devices so only enter if you have one of them, okay?

Giveaway:
1. You need to have an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad. Please don't enter if you don't have one of these devices.
2. If you win, you need to download the app within 2 weeks. No, you don't need to start using the app...but why wait? Get a properly fitted pair of running shoes and good socks and you are ready to go!
3. To enter, just leave a comment. Make sure your email is on your Google login, or you leave your email address in the comment.
4. If you don't win, don't fret...you can buy the GetRunning app for only $1.99 in the Apple store.
5. And remember, I may be totally enthusiastic about this program...but please note that the $1.99 app does not get you out of bed in the morning, put on your shoes and get you butt out the door. Just sayin'. Just wanna be clear about it.
6. You have until Monday, March 28, 2011, Midnight PDT to enter. :) I'll do a random drawing for the 10 winners.

Disclosure: I did not receive anything from the makers of Get Running App for this post. They are offering the 10 apps free to the winners. Opinions about the app, the lady on the app, and running in general are my own. ;) - mary the food librarian

*** Updated: Contest is closed. Winners listed here. ****
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Los Angeles Marathon 5K

LA Marathon 5K at Dodger Stadium, March 19, 2011
I ran my second 5K on Saturday! Whoo hoo! I can't believe a year ago I was just a spectator on the LA Marathon route...this year, I was a spectator again! BUT, I ran the 5K (3.1 miles) the day before the rain drenched LA Marathon.

LA Marathon 5K
I joined the Noah's Wish Team to raise funds for services to animals during a disaster. You can still donate on my fundraising page. Thank you to all those who donated to the cause!!! The group raised over $28,000! In the left photo, I'm all ready: Wristband so I can get into the luxury suite at Dodger Stadium hosted by the charities (this was awesome - fancy bathrooms and orange juice!), 5K bib, Noah's Wish running shirt and of course, my I Like Big Bundts button!

The run was not a picnic for me. It went around Dodger Stadium and had three big hills. Well, an anthill is "big" to me...I pulled out my camera to take a shot. See above. That's pretty big for a beginning runner, no? :) I speed walked up the hills.

LA Marathon 5K at Dodger Stadium
I finished in 38:00 minutes. The Olympics trials aren't next up for me, but I'm excited I finished two 5K in the past 12 months and got myself from Couch to 5K! Thanks to Team Noah's Wish, friend and coach Dave and Helen for coming to support me!

And do YOU want to get yourself from the Coach to a 5K? You can. I used the Get Running App on the iPod Touch or iPhone, and miraculously, in nine weeks I was running for 30 minutes! It totally works (well, it works if you get yourself out of bed and on the road...the app doesn't include that part). And the nice people at Get Running gave given me 10 apps to give away! The giveaway will be the next post!

Hope you can join me in my next 5K! - mary
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Los Angeles Marathon 2011...Rain, Run, Rain, Run

LA Marathon 2011 Fans
Los Angeles Marathon 2011 with Santa and Vuvuzelas.
Remember last year's Los Angeles Marathon and the debut of the Daveypop? Well, my friends and I headed out to cheer Dave and Phil during this year's LA Marathon. Unlike last year's nice weather, this time is was All rain. All day long.


LA Marathon 2011 Mile 7
First, friends Helen and Alison and I camped out at Mile 7 in Silverlake. We met this English chap who was cheering for his cousin Sally Baker. We got there early enough to see the wheelchair and elite racers speed by. It was mind boggling how fast they were going...and that they would keep up that pace for so many more miles!!

LA Marathon 2011 Dave
Then the rain started and never let up. But it was so worth it to see Dave run by! Dave organized the Noah's Wish Charity team that raised over $28,000! Awesome!

LA Marathon Phil Mile 7
Our friend Phil also ran the marathon. We saw him at Mile 7 too! It is easier to find people when we are holding signs of one of their faces!

LA Marathon Mile 18
After seeing Dave & Phil at Mile 7, we hopped in the car and got ourselves to Mile 18. It was pissing rain. Just crazy rain. And freezing cold. I don't know how the 23,000 runners did it...you are all amazing! Hundreds had to be treated for hypothermia! Hypothermia!!!

Congrats Dave, Phil and all the runners in the Los Angeles Marathon! You all rock!!!

P.S. I ran the LA Marathon's 5K the day before...that's the next post! Also, you can read Dave's post about his marathon on his blog! - mary
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Fundraising for Noah's Wish in the LA Marathon 5K

Cidney the Dog on New Year's Eve
We're running and raising funds for Noah's Wish!

I'm running in the LA Marathon's 5K! The 5K (3.1 miles), not to be confused with the Marathon! :)

The 5K will take place on Saturday, March 19, 2011 at Dodger Stadium. The 26 mile LA Marathon is the next day, Sunday, March 20 all throughout Los Angeles! I'll be rooting for my friend Dave (remember the Davey Pop from last year?!) and the rest of the Noah's Wish team.

Noah's Wish is a unique animal welfare organization dedicated exclusively to rescuing and sheltering animals in disasters, throughout the United States and Canada.

I've been training for my second 5K with my cousin's doggie, Cidney. She's always up for a run around the neighborhood, and helps keep me motivated. If the "big one" hits us in Los Angeles (as it eventually will), I hope Noah's Wish will be able to help our animal friends like Cidney. Noah's Wish also educates and prepares individuals, communities and organizations in mitigating the impact of disasters on animals. Do you have pet food in your earthquake kit?

I'm raising funds for this great organization. I would appreciate your support - any amount will help me towards my goal! Click on the Food Librarian's Fundraising Page!

Thanks you so much,
Mary the Food Librarian and Cidney the Dog
Our Fundraising Page for Noah's Wish

Cidney with her Clifford Toy 
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The Food Librarian finishes the Turkey Trot 5K...and eats pie all day

Torrance Turkey Trot 2010
Just a quick post to, well, for lack of a better word, brag! I finished a 5K!

Back in July, I posted about my successful completion of the Couch to 5K program using the GetRunning app. Well, I fell off the wagon a bit (injury, Bundt month, my friend's wedding, the end of daylight savings time and other excuses) but decided I had to run in a 5K before I turn 40 in a few days.

Torrance Turkey Trot 2010
So my friend and coach Dave and I ran the Torrance Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day. It's a fun run. You get a nice sweatshirt as well as a license to eat 3 pieces of pie later that day (which I totally did). I thought we would have to walk much of it, but I plugged along, and finished in 35:57!

And my friend Dave? Well, he just turned 40 on Saturday and he has completed three marathons this year...with his fourth marathon in 13 months this weekend! Wow! Go Dave!

It was freezing cold (well, by Los Angeles standards...in the 40's!) when the race started so that's my jacket tied around me. My friend Jessica walked the 5K, and we decided this will definitely be an annual tradition! Next up, the Universal Studios back lot 5K (yes, you get to run by the sets) and the LA Marathon 5K held the day before the marathon at Dodger's Stadium. 5K or perhaps a 10K is as far as I want to go. I need time to bake, people! No time to train for anything longer! :) - mary the food librarian

P.S. Here is Dave's post about the run and our awesome 20+ year friendship!!!! Dave, you rock! 
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The Running Librarian and GetRunning App

Remember my friend Dave who ran the Los Angeles Marathon? Team Dave was out in force with Davey Pops. Dave and I met during our undergrad years at UCLA and he is also turning 40 this year (he's about 10 days older than me!)

LA Marathon 2010 - DaveyPop

Dave is planning on running THREE full marathons in the year before he turns 40. Yes, that is 78.6 miles of running in various countries.

Um, I'm setting my goals a little smaller. I'm hoping to run one 5K race (3.1 miles) before I'm 40 years old.

I ran track as a freshman in high school and I'm all about speed. Endurance and me ain't close friends, and I often have nightmares of me running away from a doll (you know dolls come alive in the middle of the night and try to kill you...) and passing out because I have no cardiovascular health.

Well, in my 39th year, I was inspired by Dave's marathon and decided to give the Couch to 5K program a try. Just Google the term and you'll find lots of programs. Basically, they take you from your couch (or your kitchen, in my case) to a 5K in about 8-9 weeks! You start slow (1 minute run/walks) and end by running a full 30 minutes without stopping or walking. At first, I thought they were crazy, but it FREAKING WORKS!

I downloaded the Get Running App to my iPod Touch for $1.99. I had to buy an upgrade from Apple to make it work on my older iPod Touch, but it was soooo worth it! Some programs have little bleeps or bells, but Get Running has an English woman guiding you through the workout and gives you encouragement. She says things like:

Today we are going to run... five 10-minute runs
You are halfway done, turn around and head home if you need.
You have one minute left (with enthusiasm)!
You have run 20 minutes! You have 5 minutes remaining.
Today's run is only 2 minutes longer than last week.
Great job! Congratulations!


Okay, I'll be totally honest with you. When I first started and as I tried to run ONE SINGLE MINUTE (sucking in air and trying to locate the best place to throw up in my neighborhood), I cursed this woman. Serious. Totally thought she was sitting in a recording studio dragging on a cigarette, legs up on a desk, eating bon bons while telling me to keep running. Seriously had issues with her at first.

But as I improved, I looked forward to my "friend" helping me along! (although I still think she's eating a big chocolate bar between recordings). The best thing about the Get Running App is that it pauses your music to give you these statements. I often listen to audiobooks (free from my library using OverDrive) while running so it's important that I don't miss any monologue from the book...or I might not find out who's the killer in the latest James Patterson book! Note to self: Don't be listening to any romance novels while running. Listening to any, um, relationship scene, while jogging by your neighbor's rose garden is just wrong.

Of course, this lady ain't going to drag your butt out of bed to get your running. And that's where Coach Dave and friends come in! Coach Dave ran with me every few weeks and answered all my running questions. Thanks so much Dave!

Running Librarian
I also ran with my Verizon Droid phone and used the My Tracks app. This tracks your running, speed, elevation, and maps it out using up all your battery power and GPS. Then I can upload it to a Google docs spreadsheet and Coach Dave can monitor my progress...and I can see that I'm covering more distance each week! Now that I'm up 30 minutes, sometimes I run listening to Pandora radio. (Yes, I am the person using all the 3G bandwidth in the neighborhood.)

I got these Acis shoes from Road Runner running store. Finding the right shoes, getting insoles and proper socks made such a difference. Like baking with the right ingredients, having the right equipment can prevent injury and that damn plantar fasciitis that creeps up on me sometimes.

Sorry for the long post, but darn it, did you see that I can run 30 minutes without walking?! And on May 1st I was dying at 1 minute. Whoo hoo! I'm proud of myself...and will be baking myself a cake to celebrate. Yeah, I'm not losing any weight...but I'll try that next.

This also helps answers the question "Why haven't you been baking?" I've been running at 5 am around my neighborhood...during my prime baking time. Now the the windows are installed (read: drywall dust is finally gone) and the fridge is back (read: shiny new fridge rocks), I hope to alternate running and baking in the mornings. You know, it's all about balance.

P.S. I'll let you know when I run my first 5K. Like the Daveypop, we'll have Bundt Cakes on a Stick to cheer me along the route! :)
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