Now in my 40s, I wake up a little stiff each morning and think about getting older. In the next moment, I am suddenly cooking breakfast, packing lunches, and rushing to take the kids to school. Amidst this frenzied routine one day, I slammed the car door to the yelping of our four-legged family member, Piggie. Because of my thoughtlessness, poor Piggie was inside the car whimpering with her tail poking out from the doorjamb. Ugh. How can I be more conscious of my actions and be “in” the moment? These days, so many people are turning to yoga. Does it really work to pull oneself into the present as well as help with those aches and pains? Ashtanga. Vinyasa. Power. Knowing where to start

The city of Sacramento's Preservation Commission on Wednesday got the first look at a draft of the new plan intended to guide redevelopment of the River District north of the central city. Commission members gave the first round of feedback Wednesday evening to the city's Community Development and Economic Development departments, which led the multi-department project encompassing about three years of work. The draft River District Specific Plan was unveiled online last week. Commissioners were concerned with proposals to allow 250-foot hotels along the Sacramento River, demolishing the state's printing plant building without exploring its historic landmark eligibility and the need to c

The first annual Fit Crawl on Saturday had 38 "crawlers" ride bicycles to five locations for a 20-minute preview of different fitness methods. Downtown locations included Pipeworks for rock climbing, Fleet Feet to learn about proper running shoes and technique, Ultimate Fitness for in-ring training and bag work, Asha Yoga to try the styles of yoga and Bodytribe, for a fresh take on fitness training. The Crawl was put on by the California Task Force on Youth and Workplace Wellness, and sponsored by PepsiCo.  The $35 ticket included bike rental, loaned from Bikes and Bites.  The Wellness Task Force, in existence since 2002, focuses on fitness and nutrition in schools and the workplace. Exe

I have never felt so alive as when I'm holding onto a ledge on the side of a mountain hundreds of feet above the ground surrounded by nothing but rock and clear blue sky. Rock climbing is an exhilarating sport that has had a presence in the California Sierra Nevada mountains since the 1950's. California is home to several of the most famous climbing locals in the world such as Yosemite and Bishop and Joshua Tree in southern California. But you don't have to travel that far to enjoy beautiful outdoor scenes and high class climbing routes. Sacramento is a central location to many excellent climbing spots for any level from first-time beginners, to professional-rate advanced climbers. Begi

Anyone who has driven out of the grid via 16th street has probably noticed a large red brick building lined by cypress trees with a neon sign hanging from the corner. This building is the home of Pipeworks, a fitness center and climbing gym. Pipeworks is a part of Touchstone Climbing & Fitness, which runs four other gyms in the Bay Area. Touchstone was founded by Mark and Deborah Melvin in 1995 with the opening of Mission Cliffs in San Francisco, setting a standard for future indoor climbing facilities. Pipeworks opened in Sacramento six years later and continued to set standards by offering full fitness facilities as well as world-class climbing. Upon entering, one might be overwhelmed