Happy Earth Day! How We Partner with the Planet

We like to think that every day is Earth Day at Happy + Hale. Since day one we have felt a responsibility to make sustainable business decisions, including reducing our waste as much as humanly possible. Through partnerships with Compost Now and Atlas Organics we have been able to divert nearly 250,000 lbs from the landfill since 2013. As we grow we will continue to seek new ways to Partner with the Planet. See below for compositing by the numbers and head to compostnow.org for more information on how you can get started at home or at the office. Happy Earth Day!

Compostable wares from Eco Products and Sabert through Compost Now

H+H Composting by the Numbers

244,749 lbs

of waste diverted from the landfill since 2013

H+H Composting by the Numbers

61,070 lbs

of compost created since 2013

H+H Composting by the Numbers

31,756 lbs (634,124 lbs)

of methane avoided since 2013 (co2 equivalent)

H+H Composting by the Numbers

1,387,669 miles

equivalent of miles not driven

#MYCYO - EMILY WALLACE of MIDTOWN YOGA

Meet Emily Wallace - our friend, neighbor, and owner of Midtown Yoga. The roots of Midtown Yoga were planted where passion and purpose meet. Emily was inspired to try yoga after feeling uncertain about her life’s path in her early 20s. During her first year of college, she began to practice yoga and immediately knew she had discovered her passion.

Emily earned her teacher training certifications and began teaching yoga everywhere she could. From teaching at local studios, gyms, college apartment complexes, and retirement homes to hosting yoga teacher trainings, and international yoga retreats all over the world, she immersed herself in sharing the power of yoga and building a connected community.

What began with a simple yoga practice years ago has now blossomed into a space for all to gather, guide, and grow. With the support of family, friends, and the community, Midtown Yoga was born.

Emily stopped in last week to show us her signature Create-Your-Own Bowl. See what keeps her and Midtown Yoga going below.

“This year has been a huge learning experience for me in self care. Midtown Yoga just celebrated our one year anniversary and I’ve had to learn the importance of fueling my body with healthy food and to practice what I preach on the mat so I can show up for my students and team in the best way possible.”

— Emily Wallace

The Midtown Bowl

arugula, cucumbers, cabbage slaw, pickled carrots, squash hummus, oven roasted chicken, feta cheese, mint, herb yogurt dressing

#MYCYO: JOJo POLK of core Raleigh

JoJo Polk, owner of Core Fitness Studio in Raleigh, is an inspirational powerhouse. Dedicated to empowering people to DIG (Determination, Intensity, and Guts) he founded Core Fitness Studio as a space for people to connect, work hard, and transform their lives through fitness. Making Raleigh healthier one butt-kicking bootcamp at a time requires some serious fuel so JoJo recently stopped by our North Hills location to show us his go-to Create-Your-Own breakfast bowl...the JoJo Bowl.

“As an athlete, I know that physical health is key to enhancing performance. You depend on strength, skill, and endurance, whether you’re intercepting the football or making that final push to reach your PR in class. Being your best takes Determination, Intensity, and Guts but that’s not all. Like a car, your body won’t run without the right fuel. I am not a fan of supplements and powders, that is why my meals contain carbs, fats, and enough protein to promote muscle
growth and repair.”

— JoJo Polk

The JoJo Bowl

brown rice, scrambled eggs, bacon, red peppers, oven roasted chicken, feta cheese

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#MYCYO: BONNER GAYLORD of kane realty

A proud husband and father to three beautiful children, our good friend and neighbor to our North Hills location Bonner Gaylord dropped in recently to try his hand at putting together his own delicious Create-Your-Own Bowl. As the Managing Director of Operations for Kane Realty, Bonner realizes that to tackle his never ending to-do list he has to fuel his body and brain in the best way possible. Bonner’s go-to order is usually our breakfast scramble so he was excited to change it up and get creative while creating this custom #MYCYO Bowl. See Bonner’s creation below!

““I always appreciate the way I feel when I eat right. When I’m eating Happy + Hale, that feeling is guaranteed!””

— Bonner Gaylord

THE BONNER BOWL

shredded kale, quinoa, beets, corn, roasted butternut squash, chipotle seared tenderloin, chimichurri pesto, avocado cilantro dressing, topped with cilantro

5 Active Date Ideas to Get Your Heart Pumping this Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day means a box of chocolates, a cheesy card, and maybe a bouquet of grocery store flowers, right? Not anymore! We believe Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to show the people in your life just how much you care about them. At Happy + Hale we show you love by providing tasty and healthy food every single day! With Valentine’s Day just around the corner we encourage you to get creative this year and show the people in your life just how much they mean to you by planning an exciting AND good-for-you date. To celebrate, we’ve partnered with Great Outdoor Provision Co. to round up five adventurous date ideas as a reminder that Valentine’s Day doesn’t always mean dinner for two at a fancy restaurant.

Great Outdoor Provision Co. is a specialty outdoor retailer based in North Carolina. Their shops are filled with gear and clothing for life outside; work and play. We linked a few of our favorite products for each activity listed below to highlight their wide variety of merchandise.

Indoor Rock Climbing

Rock climbing is the perfect balance of adventure, trust, breaking comfort zones, and fun! Plus, you won’t have to worry about the weather ruining your date. The Triangle Rock Club (which has three locations in the Triangle), and Climb @ Blue Ridge (only 20 minutes North of Greenville) are both great places to learn the basics and try your hand at this challenging, yet oh so rewarding sport.

Great Outdoor Provision Co. climbing products:

https://greatoutdoorprovision.com/products/climb/#/product/270568/black-diamond-atc?store=10891&embed_type=store

https://greatoutdoorprovision.com/products/climb/#/product/270508/black-diamond-rocklock-screwgate?store=10891&embed_type=store

https://greatoutdoorprovision.com/products/climb/#/product/373358/black-diamond-mojo?store=10891&embed_type=store

Explore a *New Local Trail

This may seem like an obvious choice, but with so many beautiful trails in the Triangle, we challenge you to explore a hike you’ve never been on before. Sunset smoothies, lake views, chirping birds, and your best friend...sounds exactly like how we want to spend our Valentine’s Day.

Here are a few of our favorite local hikes…

Sycamore Trail in William B. Umstead State Park

Cox Mountain Trail in Eno River State Park

Occoneechee Mountain Loop Trail in Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area

Durant Nature Preserve

Great Outdoor Provision Co. hiking products:

https://greatoutdoorprovision.com/products/accessories/patagonia-p-6-trucker-hat/

https://greatoutdoorprovision.com/locally-catalog/#/product/368537/farm-to-feet-boulder-mw-2-pack?embed_type=store&store=0

Group Exercise Class

With so many great fitness options in the Triangle you can’t go wrong with this active date idea. Kick off your date with a high intensity, sweaty workout class, follow it up with a tasty bowl from H+H, and maybe even a massage--now you’re speaking our love language.

Some of our local favorites include…

FlowCorps, FlyWheel, Midtown Yoga, and Core Fitness

Great Outdoor Provision Co. workout gear:

https://greatoutdoorprovision.com/products/mens-clothing/#/product/173693/patagonia-mens-s-s-nine-trails-shirt?embed_type=store&store=0

https://greatoutdoorprovision.com/locally-catalog/#/product/223448/smartwool-womens-merino-250-baselayer-pattern-bottom?embed_type=store&store=0

Indoor Trampoline Park

No, trampoline parks are not just for tweens on a Friday night. Nothing sparks true love more than a little healthy competition, so try your hand at a ninja obstacle course or a few rounds of extreme dodgeball. You’ll be laughing so much you’ll forget you’re actually burning hundreds of calories.

Overnight Backpacking Trip

Perhaps the most adventurous date option on the list, an overnight backpacking trip is the perfect opportunity to disconnect and reconnect! Great Outdoor Provision Co. offers a Get Backpacking! program to teach you back country fundamentals, how to be a better backpacker, and introduces you to beautiful trips to start exploring on your own.

Great Outdoor Provision Co. backpacking gear:

https://greatoutdoorprovision.com/locally-catalog/#/product/491849/nemo-hornet-2p?embed_type=store&store=0

https://greatoutdoorprovision.com/locally-catalog/#/product/435737/osprey-packs-aura-ag-50?embed_type=store&store=0

Head over to our Instagram page to enter our Valentine’s Day giveaway to win a gift card to Happy + Hale and Great Outdoor Provision Co. so you have no excuses holding you back from planning an amazing date this Valentine’s Day.

Don’t forget to tag us when you post pictures from your perfect, endorphine-filled date so we can share the Happy + Hale love and inspire others to get out and get active!

Photos by Cole Gillespie

#MYCYO: Ashley liu kirkman of raleigh group fitness

Ashley Liu Kirkman is a ROCK STAR. Yes, we said it. ALK is a fitness instructor, full-time lawyer, mom to two beautiful daughters and Co-Founder of Raleigh Group Fitness. Wow - inspiring much? How does she keep going? Healthy fuel of course. Ashely Liu stopped by our North Hills location to show us her favorite Create-Your-Own Bowl, aptly named…the ALK Bowl. What’s in it? Read below.

““Food is our fuel and when I’m nutritionally off, I can’t do what I do.  Don’t overcomplicate healthy eating - LISTEN to your body - it will tell you what you need to feel your best. Eat things you love often and the good stuff will inevitably prevail.””

— Ashley Liu Kirkman

shredded chicken breast

“The ALK Bowl:
Shredded kale, cauliflower rice, cucumbers, butternut squash, bacon, avocado mash, shredded chicken breast, honey sriracha dressing, topped with crispy pita. ”

Happy + Hale Book Club

WELCOME

Welcome to the Happy + Hale Book Club! We started reading books as a Senior Leadership Team in early 2017 as a way to connect and continue learning together as we grow. No genre is off-limits and we’ve read everything from business to self-improvement to best-selling fiction. This month we’re reading Shoe Dog - a rare and revealing glimpse at the notoriously media-shy man behind the swoosh. Below you’ll find a comprehensive list of what we’ve read so far. We hope you find something that inspires you!

The Four Agreements

Don Miguel Ruiz

The Four Agreements offer a powerful code of conduct that can rapidly transform our lives to a new experience of freedom, true happiness, and love.

The Four Agreements are:

• Be Impeccable With Your Word

• Don’t Take Anything Personally

• Don’t Make Assumptions

• Always Do Your Best

Setting The Table

Danny Meyer

Famed restaurateur Danny Meyer shares the lessons he’s learned developing the dynamic philosophy he calls Enlightened Hospitality. The tenets of that philosophy, which emphasize strong in-house relationships as well as customer satisfaction, are applicable to anyone who works in any business. Danny’s story and philosophy will help you become more effective and productive, while deepening your understanding and appreciation of a job well done.

Daring Greatly

Brené Brown

Daring Greatly is not about winning or losing. It’s about courage. In a world where “never enough” dominates and feeling afraid has become second nature, vulnerability is subversive. Uncomfortable. It’s even a little dangerous at times. And, without question, putting ourselves out there means there’s a far greater risk of getting criticized or feeling hurt. But when we step back and examine our lives, we will find that nothing is as uncomfortable, dangerous, and hurtful as standing on the outside of our lives looking in and wondering what it would be like if we had the courage to step into the arena

Who Says You Can’t? You do

Daniel Chidiac

With practical exercises and interactive tools, this book challenges you to ask hard questions and make life-changing decisions -and ultimately guides you to the fulfillment you have been seeking. Get ready to be intrigued, fascinated, and amazed. Not by this book, but by your own power.

The Celestine Prophecy

James Redfield

Drawing on ancient wisdom, it tells you how to make connections among the events happening in your life right now and lets you see what is going to happen to you in the years to come. The story it tells is a gripping one of adventure and discovery, but it is also a guidebook that has the power to crystallize your perceptions of why you are where you are in life and to direct your steps with a new energy and optimism as you head into tomorrow.

Who Moved My Cheese?

Spencer Johnson

Exploring a simple way to take the fear and anxiety out of managing the future, Who Moved My Cheese? can help you discover how to anticipate, acknowledge, and accept change in order to have a positive impact on your job, your relationships, and every aspect of your life.

The Energy Bus

Jon Gordon

Everyone faces challenges. And every person, organization, company, and team has to overcome negativity and adversity to define themselves and create their success. No one goes through life untested and the answer to these tests is positive energy—the kind of positive energy that consists of the vision, trust, optimism, enthusiasm, purpose, and spirit that defines great leaders and their dreams.

The No Complaining Rule

Jon Gordon

An enlightening story that demonstrates how you can conquer negativity and inspire others to adopt a positive attitude." Based on one company’s successful No Complaining Rule, the powerful principles and actionable plan are practical and easy-to-follow, making this book an ideal read for managers, team leaders and anyone interested in generating positive energy.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Stephen R. Covery

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey is a self-improvement book. It is written on Covey's belief that the way we see the world is entirely based on our own perceptions. In order to change a given situation, we must change ourselves, and in order to change ourselves, we must be able to change our perceptions.

The Alchemist

Paulo Coelho

This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and soul-stirring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried near the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles in his path. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasure found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.

Recap: Summer Solstice Sunrise Yoga

On June 21st, 2018 - nearly fours years after the opening of our flagship location in Downtown Raleigh - we celebrated the Summer Solstice and the opening of Happy + Hale North Hills the best way we know how - sunrise yoga, accompanied by multiple live music acts and of course, led by Carrington Razook Jackson.  Images by Laura Hunter Creative