Give Your Sole
March 28, 2010
So a girl walks into a bar…no, this isn’t that same joke.
Actually, this girl is me and the bar is more of a sushi (phenomenal, might I add) restaurant – but you get the point.
…so at this restaurant slash bar I learn that the bartender’s day job (they all seem to have one) is actually running the East Coast ops for Give Your Sole, a non profit group committed to providing moderately used running sneakers to men, women and children. It’s a great concept right? How many old pairs do you have lying around that you never use, but can’t bring yourself to throw away. According to Give Your Sole, statistics show that only 1 in 100 shoes get recycled with the rest ending up in landfills. This bartender, along with his Cali based buddy, founded the non profit as a way to distribute shoes among local charities and organizations using post race footwear donations.
Sure, be greedy with your Christian Louboutins – hoard them all you like…but give your sneaker soul and organize a donation via their website www.giveyoursole.com
SUPER Magic Fingers
October 28, 2009
Super Magic Fingers sounds either like a run down car wash or happy ending massage parlor. Well it IS a place to get a massage, just not the kind you’re thinking of (get your mind out of the gutter).
I found the name of this underground hot spot when I asked my colleague his pre-race ritual leading up to the marathon (NYC Marathon on November 1). He said he never hits the starting line without a 60 minute ($48) massage at Super Magic Fingers to work out last-minute tight muscles. Aside from the incredible rate, this is a former Ironman sharing his pre-race secrets with me. He can tell me that eating lead paint chips will make me a faster runner and I’ll probably do it.
Without hesitation, I went yesterday evening and was VERY happy with the results. Trust me, the $48 does not go towards any of the parlor’s interior decorating. It is an incredibly bare space with very little fanfare, although the staff are courteous and pleasant. Rooms are separated by curtains and you can hear noise every now and then from the neighboring “room.” Once you get situated they set a (loud) alarm for the requested time and go immediately to work, vigorously massaging in the Tui Na style (rigorous hands on body work that treats muscles, joints and flow of life energy/Chi using their forearms and elbows). By the end you’ll feel like a bowl of pudding.
Super Magic Fingers: 173 West 81st Street/open 10:30am-10pm
