Atomic Renewal. Meditate on This Land. Read Lucy. Eat Lou. Saturday Six Vol. LI
DO: ATOMIC ATHLETE
Whether it’s your New Year’s resolution to work out more or not, and whether you live in Austin or not, whenever you need a lift, Atomic Athlete is prime time. They started it as a private gym in Austin, Texas in 2009, and the group of awesome coaches provides professional coaching and programming for athletes of all disciplines, whether it be competitive, industrial, or recreational. The athletes who train at the AA facility come from all walks of life - military operators to elite triathletes, to men and women who are driven by the desire to push their bodies and minds. Even though the gym is where they train, their outreach is well beyond those walls. AA’s website is super functional and makes the programming and coaching readily available for athletes who don’t have access to the Austin facility. Sessions are designed and explained to provide you with the opportunity to expand your Strength, Work Capacity, Aerobic Capacity, Mental Fitness and Resilience at any satellite location. In the coaches’ notes and instructions that accompany each training cycle, as well as in the videos for each individual exercise, they explain how to follow every detail. The program is truly impressive, and the genuine care exudes through the team as they work hard for the members’ continued betterment.
GET: RENEW MASSAGE
A group of us were at Book People the other day, and there was a chair massage opportunity that we couldn’t pass up. Little did we expect for it to be the best chair massage ever. Leslie Green was the gal’s name, and she’s from Renew Massage. Post the thorough renewal and relaxation, we found out that outside of their practice they also do Corporate Chair Massage and Event Massage - sweet! So while we’re at the office compiling our “Staff Benefits” dollars, we highly advise you to book your own session(s) now. Or heck, go to Book People and leave it mellow along with that new paperback (or hardcover) you’ve been eyeing. Sounds like a good plan to us.
WATCH: GARY CLARK JR ON THE LATE SHOW
GCJ and band are and always have been leaders of the revived rock and soul pack. His new single, “This Land”, is explosive, with the entire band performing to the nines while making it look as natural as they breathe. This new song is powerful, poignant, impactful and important. Here’s a link to the official music video (but just a heads up that it has some language not suitable for little ones.)
LISTEN: WAKING UP WITH SAM HARRIS
Meditate? Do you do it occasionally, live by it, or think it's hokey? Maybe you've never tried. Rookie or pro, we give this app a standing ovation. Meditation really is just settling and quieting your body and mind. Thanks to our lifestyles these days, sitting in silence and asking ourselves to calm down and chill out without any distractions seems nearly impossible. This app is here to help you "discover your mind." Join Sam Harris - neuroscientist, philosopher, and best-selling author - on a meditation course for beginners and experienced meditators alike. "Waking Up" is for anyone that understands that meditation practice isn't about feeling better in the moment. It should transform your view of the world. Might sound extreme, but start with the first few days of it and see where it gets you. We've been surprised.
READ: MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON
We didn’t read this just because it was a #1 NYT Bestseller, but that does give it some clout. An awe-inspiring story about a simple hospital visit becomes a portal to the tender relationship between mother and daughter in this extraordinary novel by the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Olive Kitteridge and The Burgess Boys. (Side note - if you haven’t seen the Olive Kitteridge HBO mini series, it’s also top notch. No, like really - if you haven’t - then you should watch it.) Back to this book - Lucy Barton is recovering slowly from what should have been a simple operation. Her mother, to whom she hasn’t spoken for many years, comes to see her. Gentle gossip about people from Lucy’s childhood in Amgash, Illinois, seems to reconnect them, but just below the surface lies the tension and longing that have informed every aspect of Lucy’s life; her escape from her troubled family, her desire to become a writer, her marriage, her love for her two daughters. Knitting this powerful narrative together is the brilliant storytelling voice of Lucy herself: keenly observant, deeply human, and truly unforgettable. Give it a gander - it’s so good.
WEAR: THE BRUE
There's a new style here at HELM, and if you haven't checked it out yeah, well...you're missing out. See it here.