Breakfast on Saturday was yummy (no surprise in Napa) and I enjoyed getting to know the new ambassadors as well as meeting lots of inspiring women.
We arrived to Trefethen Vineyard and split into three groups. We rotated between the Rolling O lab (to learn about the testing and technology of Oakley Sunglasses and why they are the best in the world).....
The yoga/stretching station with Deena and Andrew Kastor and then the Garmin station to learn about our new 210 Garmin watches.
The 5K was beautiful - right between the vines, we ran 3.1 miles and had beautiful scenery along the way. It was warm but I managed to squeeze in a 21 minute (low) 5K and finished 4th. It wasn't a "race" but after 15 hours of traveling on Friday, my legs were ready to RUN!
After the 5K it was time for - more wine. I also had the opportunity to speak with Olympic medalist and Marathon super-star Deena Kastor, and her husband Andrew. Both are super nice!
As you will see - all the women received the Warm Up sunglasses (not released yet) AND ran in them! I love the sleek ear pieces as well as the comfort on my face when running (they don't slip or move)
Also at the 5K, Coola Sunscreen (which is probably the best sunscreen I have ever used - I highly recommend it!) and Zico Pure coconut water provided us with goodies.
When we got back from our morning of activities, we enjoyed a great lunch outside the Silverado resort and had about 30 minutes of "downtime" before our Trek Travel bike tour through Napa Valley.
It was kinda funny because several of us triathletes felt so weird on these bikes...but after a few pedal strokes, it was fun to feel like a kid again on a bicycle.
Our first stop was at Black Stallion. A beautiful winery with an outdoor terrace that had misters which was perfect for our hot afternoon of wine tasting and bike riding. The total bike ride was around 8 miles and each stop was around an hour to ensure plenty of time for multiple tastings of wine. I wouldn't consider myself a wine (or beer) drinker but I made sure to try wine at each of the winery's....and it was all outstanding!
The next winery was Astrale e Terra. I absolutely LOVED this place for the outdoor grass seating and wide open fields of vines. The setting was very relaxing and we all enjoyed lying on the grass, getting to know each other a bit more.
Around 5:30pm we arrived at the final winery - Cliff Lede Vineyard. We were served appetizers and, you guessed it, more wine.
We had no idea what to expect for dinner but when we walked into the winery, we were all a bit speechless....well, the heavy drinkers were not so speechless. But - it is an Oakley event and these ladies know how to have a good time. There was lots of cheering during dinner - alongside fantastic food!
The evening ended around 9pm and we headed back to the resort. Although today was an AMAZING day, I could not wait for special Sunday!
On Sunday morning, I went for an early 30 minute run to clear my mind. I needed a little "me" time to prepare myself for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that was awaiting for me around 11:30am.
Around 8:30am, we got into our Toyota Prius's and headed to the cute, beautiful town of Yountville for a sculpting aerobic session with the Tone It Up , Oakley Women ambassadors Katrina and Karena. I learned a lot of new glute exercises (always helpful as a triathlete/runner) and enjoyed an amazing breakfast outside on the lawn.
After a fresh and refreshing breakfast, we had a little free time to explore downtown before heading to the CIA. Appropriately, I met this guy as I was getting more and more excited for what was to come in less than 1 hour!
That's one happy cook!
There are only a handful moments in the life that leave you overwhelmed, excited, proud and thankful - all at once. This happened to be one.
The CIA - Culinary Institute of America - Greystone. WOW - what a treat for all 100 women.
I had a vision of what it would be like to enter this castle but I had absolutely no idea what was waiting for me when I walked inside the door.
So completely overwhelmed with emotions, my eyes teared up and I was speechless.
It was everything I imagined it would be....and more. Stadium seating, TV monitors, a beautiful kitchen, an amazing chef (Sandy), student chefs and a clip-on microphone. For 1 hour - my dream of having my own Food Network show - was coming to life.
A few of the women at Oakley asked me and pro triathlete/model, Jenny Fletcher to do a nutrition workshop. In prep for this workshop, Jenny and I discussed some of our favorite snacks, meals and "sport" foods and I came up with a few "creations" for the CIA staff to tweak to their liking.
I really can't describe what it feels like to see some of my creations come to life in the CIA - but if you are a regular reader of this blog, I'm sure you can imagine my excitement. I couldn't stop smiling.
Chef Sandy was amazing and certainly a pro at what she does. It was so much fun to be able to work alongside her as she was demo-ing the recipes and provide some nutrition-related info and tips for the Oakley Women audience. Each woman received a green fruit smoothie along with Jenny's favorite trail mix of cacoa nibs, almonds and gogi berries. OMG - so good!
I was instantly relaxed after Jenny gave her introduction, as well as her background of turning from a model to a pro triathlete. I shared my philosophy of nutrition which includes three basic concepts: develop a healthy relationship with food and the body, appreciate a nutrient dense, whole-food, plant-strong, balanced diet (aka real food) and reward the body with daily exercise. I made clear that you do not have to be a triathlete or runner to be healthy and that food is for fuel and for health.
Chef Sandy did a great demo of my quinoa stir fry but she spiced it up a bit with red quinoa, fresh vegetables (zucchini, peppe,r, onion and asparagus - cooked in vegetable stock instead of oil) and topped with pistachios and Fromage Blanc cheese.
Chef Sandy gave a great tip that when coating Kale chips in oil, drizzle the oil on the side of a large glass bowel and then rub the kale leaves along the sides for even distribution. She sprinkled with paprika and a little salt and pepper, and then baked at 250 degrees, for 30 minutes.
Although rude for most talks, I was so surprised when I saw how many tweets and facebook posts I received during my nutrition workshop. I stole a few pics from Twitter and Facebook.
Isn't it so neat that the audience can see on the big screen, what Chef Sandy is preparing! Like a real cooking demo - oh wait..it was!! :)
After this life-changing experience, I had a challenging 45-min hike to reflect on this opportunity. I was so thankful for all the nice comments from the crowd which confirmed that I am continuing to provide practical and realistic information to help change the lifestyles of others...one bite at a time.
Nearing the end of Sunday, I couldn't wait to spend a little alone time in my room at the resort, to reflect on today as well as the weekend. Oakley Women has given me several opportunities over the past year to show my passion for living a healthy and active life as well as allowing me to inspire others to perform beautifully.
At the farewell dinner, I had one last chance to network, reflect and enjoy my time with the new ambassadors.