5 Great Wines Under $20

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Yep, you read that right, five GREAT wines for under $20. It is completely possible to have yummy wine without breaking the bank. These are a few of my favorites for drinking by the glass or mixing into a yummy cocktail; try number four with a little seltzer water and a splash of wine! Most of these wines can be purchased at your local grocer and some for less that ten dollars.

Like my pallet, there is a mix of red and white wine on this list, but mostly, it is white. I am also a super big fan of new world wines, sorry all those fantastic Italian oldies, but you did not make it to my list. If, however, you are into yummy things that taste like fun, you are in luck! I recommend getting all of these and trying a few with this book. Now, that is a fun night with a bit of education on the top!

Ravenswood Cabernet Sauvignon

The Ravenswood Cabernet Sauvignon is one of my favorite reds for under $20. Ravenswood is a winery in Sonoma County that makes lots of wines that taste great young, or aged. This one is filled with cherry and black currant flavors with vanilla and oak undertones. It is round, smooth, and full bodied. A bottle will set you back about $18 at Total Wine.

Dr Heidemanns Riesling

As far as Reislings go, this is one of my favorites. Dr. Heidmanns comes in a dry and off-dry option, but my favorite is the dry. It is light, crisp, and fruity without being too easily confused for apple juice. This bottle will set you back about $14 but you could totally pass it off for way more at a party. This is also one of the few not-so New World wines since it is from Germany.

Oak Ridge Zinfandel

At under $15, you cannot get much better for a nice, medium bodied Zinfandel. This one is smooth, smokey, and fruity. Really though, there is a bit more "smokey" in it than fruit. It is a good middle of the road red with plenty of flavor and a bit of acidity. If you are looking for a good outdoor barbecue wine, you have found it. The Oak Ridge Winery is based out of Lodi, CA and makes some great, non-intimidating wines for those just wanting a fun taste or an into to reds.

New Age Torrontes

Hand down, one of my favorite wines, ever. This Torrontes has plenty of flavor and a bit of a spicy kick at the end. It is so good, I do not even know how to describe it and will, instead, sound like the little card that describes it to you in the store... It is medium-bodied with fruity notes, a floral aroma, and an intensity at the end that I describe as "spicy". This wine will also only set you back about $10 and is fantastic on it's own or in a cocktail. New Age is an Argentinean Winery that also makes a few reds, but this Torrontes is my personal favorite. 

King Estate Pinot Gris 2012

And we finish off this wine list with my aunt's (and one of my) personal favorites. This Pinot Gris is a bit of a conundrum in it's name since it it a New World wine in an Old World name. Name issue aside though, it is a full-bodied white with pear and apple notes that are not too sweet. As itt's namesake states, this wine is modled after an Old World taste but with New World parts. maybe, that is why it is so well flavored, or maybe, the folks at King Estate just really know their wine. The 2012 option is a value under $15, but I would recommend spending a few bucks more and getting the year or two older option.

This Week in Workouts: Reunion

Happy August! Since we will be starting our camping adventure in a few short hours it just made sense to do Sunday's post today. Because of this, there will be no post on Sunday, but we will continue with regular blog posts all next week!

This week has been fantastic! It all started off with the last camp session and one that we have never done before- a camp reunion. We have had past campers, previous counselors, and camper parents participating camping this past week. People have come from all areas of the US, Colombia, Sweden, Australia, and Russia for this week at camp! Considering that a few of these people are also Olympians, marathoners, ultra-marathoners, and tri-athaletes, this week has not been a walk in the park on the fitness front. It has been so inspiring to have people 20+ years older than me kicking my butt in every fitness category. What a great reminder that age is but a number!

Sunday: I led the spine stretching and strengthening yoga flow for some of our camp attendees! It will be on the blog soon!

Monday: My favorite 3.75-mile run ever!

Tuesday: The Squat-tastic workout followed by this Lesley Fightmaster's yoga flow for runners.

Wednesday: An isometric ab workout you will see on the blog soon :) Seriously, this is the stealth kind of workout where you feel fine till two days later and suddenly unable to laugh due to core pain.

Thursday: One last run to my favorite bagel and coffee shop. It ends up being about 4.7-miles and at the end we met up with family and friends for some coffee, sweet rolls, bagels, and a few good byes!

Friday: Hitting the road!!

Weekly Workout Goal

Almost all of next week will be filled with camping followed by one day at Disney World! Because of this, I am keeping my workout goals pretty relaxed. Some of the things I would love to do are do some camp-style yoga, hike some of the Appalachian Trail, see a waterfall, and run some of those incredible Disney running paths. If this week turns into a massive s'mores and sleep fest, I am happy with that as well.

Happy weekend! I hope yours is filled with a bit of R&R as well :)

Calories Burned at Disney World Parks

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I, along with about half the US, am so excited about our Disney trip planned this summer! Every year we try to plan a day trip to Disney World on our way back from Michigan, and every year we end up not doing it. That is, until this year. Business will be taking us down the mid-line of the state and it just makes sense to stop in along the way... Especially since it will give me so many possibilities for healthy Disney blog posts in the future!

In the past I have done totals on calories burned at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios. Although the information has been hecka useful in the past, it has never been condescend into one simple post talking about where we burn the most Calories at Disney and why.

There have been rumors that one walks the most in EPCOT and therefore burns the most calories. I am happy to say this myth is completely untrue. In fact, the park that will burn the most calories is Magic Kingdom- the place almost all of us go on every trip to Disney World. This is partially due to all the back and forth walking and partially due to the inclines you have no idea you are hiking. Next after Magic Kingdom is EPCOT since it is just so big. This is followed by Animal Kingdom. Then, way in the back is Hollywood Studios. This really cannot be much of a surprise since Hollywood Studios is just so darn small.

Below is a handy dandy chart showing my averages for all parks over 8-hours of time. Of course, your steps and calorie burn could be way different than mine depending what you do and how you get there. In almost every situation we drive or take the bus. Then, we tend to go on 3-8 rides in 8-hours and sit down for 1-3 shows, depending on the park. There is also eating time that we are not walking and lots of back-and-forth time for things like Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom or the Pirate Quest in Adventureland.

It is also good to take into consideration that there are very few people who will spend a whole 8-hours in either Animal Kingdom or Hollywood Studios. Although the calories burned is for 8-hours in each park, these two parks are more likely to be 4-6 hours, tops.

Great Running Paths at Disney World

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Did you know that Disney World Resort has more than just theme parks? Gasp! It is true. In fact, Disney has so much to do outside the theme parks, you just might want to spend some of your next trip out and about instead of schlepping it with all those other hot, sweaty park attendees.

One of the nicest bits about Disney World, and further, staying at a Disney World Resort, is all the incredible outdoor areas they have manicured and perfect for your vacationing entertainment. Although most people may not consider jogging to be part of a happy holiday, there are a few of us who love the idea of jogging around and exploring new areas of the Happiest Place on Earth. For those people, and even a few who would just like to meander through some picturesque promenades, you have the running and walking paths at the resorts.

Some of the walking and running paths are ones you will not want to miss, others not so much. Whichever trail you go with, a good tip to remember is to run early in the morning and take it easy. Early morning runs are good since Florida is, well, ridiculously hot. Also because it will be easier to run early in the morning when your feet have the energy and the path is less obscured. Secondly, running super fast along these paths could cause a collision with the other path patrons and leave you a bit too sleepy for the rest of your incredibly eventful day!

Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter

These paths are great for year-round use and will take you right next to the Sassagoula River. It is also one of the longer path options at the Disney Resorts. The first part of this trail will take you by all the beautiful southern colonial mansion inspired hotel buildings and keep you under the shade of about 1,000 oak trees around a 0.7 mile loop. If you opt to make the run longer, you can jog the distance between the Port Orleans French Quarter and Riverside Hotels. This path will take you next to the river for a mile there-and-back.

Wilderness Lodge

This is easily considered one of the prettiest paths on Disney property. Be warned though, there will be mosquitos and bugs in the summer months, especially early in the morning. Thankfully, this path has enough shade that you could run it in the afternoon without too much heat resistance and far fewer bugs. The main path runs from Wilderness Lodge to the Fort Wilderness Camp Grounds and is about a 2.5 mile loop. There are also plenty of smaller paths branching off this one that take you throughout the Fort Wilderness property.

Caribbean Beach Resort

The Caribbean Beach Resort has a running path that takes you around the lake. There is plenty of shade and some very pretty views. Caribbean Beach Resort is known for its tropical birds that can be seen in the mornings along this path. The entire loop will take you about 1.4-miles and past Old Port Royal. This is a super good thing to note since you will most likely (and hopefully only figuratively) run into a few early morning coffee goers depending on the time you run.

EPCOT Resorts

The EPCOT resorts include Swan and Dolphin Hotels, Yacht and Beach Club, and the Boardwalk Inn. All of these are grouped together and connected by paths along a waterway. This is one of my personal favorite places to stay since EPCOT and Hollywood Studios are a quick walk away. If you are lucky, you can also see firework shows from each resort while sitting in the comfort of your hotel room!

Of course, with so many hotels and fun in one area, there is bound to be some great paths! When it comes to running at the EPCOT resorts, you have plenty of options with some of the greatest inclines Florida has to offer- bridges. The course ranges from less than a mile to over 3, depending on which you choose to do.

The run directly around Crescent Lake is 0.8 miles, to Crescent Lake's path from the Dolphin hotel is 1/4 mile, the Yacht and Beach Club run is 1.3 miles, The Canal run is almost a mile, and a run around the whole EPCOT resort area is 2.4 miles. Together, you are looking at a solid 5-mile run without treading the same path twice!

I very good tip for this area is to either run late at night or early in the morning. Firstly, these paths have very little shade, and secondly, the Boardwalk is a busy area from afternoon till night.

Other Resorts

Although all of Disney resorts have paths and perks of staying there, the ones above are my most recommended for running. The reason some of the more well know parks did not make the list (sorry Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian) is either because there is very little shade or it is just too busy.

Magic Kingdoms resorts have great paths around the Seven Seas Lagoon, but there is virtually no shade. If you enjoy running in the sun or it is a chilly day, this could be a fantastic option. The views from the path are great and there are many times you can see lots of the Magic Kingdom.

As for Pop Century and Art of Animation, the running path is around the Hourglass Lake. This is about a 2-mile run but will take you into some less desirable parking areas. It would be very wise to review the map before starting this run. You may even want to pause your music during parts to avoid any issues with people and their cars.

Coronado Springs (although a beautiful resort and one of my faves) did not make the list because the running path is busy around the pool and lobby areas. It is also not very shaded for most of the way. So sorry Coronado.

If there is a favorite path of yours that you did not see listed here, please let me know in the comments! I am always up for new areas of Disney to be explored and would love a jogging adventure on our next trip!