What happened to coffee with the girls?

It’s Week 2 of my IFPP training and so far I’ve learned that I don’t mind the weight training and the cardio. But I really don’t like plymetrics.

It turns out I have no coordination. None. However, I am suffering through them.

But the hardest part of the training is how it’s affecting my social life.

For the last two weeks, my girlfriends have called and wanted to catch up over drinks. When I suggest we meet for coffee instead as I shouldn’t be having alcohol until my June show, here’s their answer:

“Oh yeah. Call me in June and let me know how it went.”

Huh????????

What kind of answer is that? Whatever happened to hanging out and having coffee with the girls? Have we become so influenced by “Sex and the City” and “Gossip Girls” that girlfriends can’t connect over java anymore? I swear, I’ve had three girlfriends give me the same brush in the last two weeks and I’m stunned.

Sure, I love wine and a really good martini, but hanging with the girls shouldn’t be about the beverage, but about connecting with each other.

Suddenly I'm missing the old days when a group of us would get together at the nearest coffee bar and chat for hours over tea and brownies. In fact, I checked with a few of my gal-pals who I’ve known since high school and discovered they still do that.

Last week, they met at a coffee shop in a bookstore for girl-talk and spent the afternoon catching up on life. Sure, it’s not as fancy as getting dressed up and hanging out a wine bar, but it is quality time and that’s all that matters.

While I won’t be hanging with my drinking friends until the end of June, I am going to take advantage of my new wine-free situation by taking myself on little java/tea adventure tour -- because I'm working my butt off with this workout and need a little calorie free treat every once and a while.

So...over the next 8 weeks, I’m on a quest to check out the best coffee shops in the area.

So far I’ve been to:

• Temple – Relaxing if you can get a seat and they are open until 11 p.m. so a great place to hang.

• Peets - Best tea so far. I’m a big fan of the Black Current and the Scottish Breakfast tea.

• Organic Co-op, -- They have this green chai latte that is incredible. However, it’s totally not relaxing there. Too loud inside and homeless people bug you for money if you sit on their patio.

• Tupelo - Tea was a little lacking and no real good pastries (I only looked for when I could eat them).  But they did have a really good looking hot chocolate.