ROGERS — We’ve gotta get us one — or more — of these.
That was my first reaction to an NBC Nightly News report about adult playgrounds.
“Adult playgrounds” — those two words don’t seem to go together in a good way — but this is an idea that is popping up in some of the larger urban areas of the country and is totally something we should do.
Essentially, they are outdoor health clubs. That’s right. You work out outdoors on durable equipment that mimics the stuff in the gym, such as elliptical and rowing machines.
Like many ideas, the idea of outdoor workout areas comes from the Chinese, according to NBC.
Well, whoever had the idea, it’s a darned good one, and we should run with it.
The NBC report featured workout areas in New York City and Miami-Dade County, Fla. The New York Times reports San Antonio has 30 workout areas in parks. Man, I hate when the Texans get ahead of us.
There are even specialized parks, according to the Times: Two mothers in Washington state raised money for a workout park for new moms to help them lose baby weight.
Park officials in Los Angeles reported they were surprised to find lines of people waiting to use the equipment in that city’s 30 workout parks, the Times reported.
In New York City, a $200,000 Bronx playground was installed two years ago and features 15 pieces of equipment. Its popularity is such, the Times reported, the city is planning more adult workout spaces.
The NBC story featured a personal trainer who works with the adults working out in the park.
That would be really nice to have, but if we could just get the equipment, it would be a real boon to residents who are trying to be health conscious. You know there are barriers to existing gyms, hours of operation and costs among them.
Besides, in good weather there is nothing better than being outside.
Rogers has a few workout trails, for lack of a better way to explain them. I haven’t been on one in several years because, in my opinion, the construction materials used and the exercises recommended were of questionable quality.
It would be great to see city officials pledge to construct an adult park in the next year — and plan for adding one every one or two years.
I believe they would be used a lot and would be greatly appreciated by residents.
• • •
I had one of those experiences on July 7 that I love: big cityish but with people I know.
Heirloom Food and Gifts had its first “community table” event. We were served family-style and were encouraged to visit with each other and the chef as the evening progressed.
Chef Jen Kiple channeled Alice Waters as she put together an evening that featured an elegant menu with local ingredients. Waters is the highly regarded chef who established Chez Panisse, a Berkeley, Calif., restaurant famous for its organic, locally grown ingredients.
If you haven’t been to Heirloom, Chef Jen and her parents, Dan and Doris, operate a hole-in-the-wall artisan bistro across the street from Rogers Little Theater. They serve lunch — brunch on Saturday — and have a fixed menu each week.
Chef Jen likes to use fresh products when preparing her tasty meals. She has a garden spot out back, and the community table meal used produce Jen had picked up at that day’s Farmers Market.
Here’s our menu: artichokes and cauliflower a la grecque; beef carpacio with anchovy and Parmigiano-Reggiano; roast chicken with lemon and herbs; purple hull pea salad with tomato, basil and corn vinaigrette; brioche stuffed with green onions topped with cream Parmigiano-Reggiano; peach short cake; and baked hot chocolate.
It’s events like this these — and places like Heirloom and Meridienne Dessert Salon and Cafe — that give me hope for downtown and Rogers as a whole. They are unique; you don’t often find such nifty places in smaller cities like ours.
Chef Jen told us she searched all of Northwest Arkansas before settling on Rogers for Heirloom’s home. She liked that the people of Rogers are open to new experiences.
That’s a real tribute to Rogers residents, and one we should continue to strive to attain so more fun events like the community table can be enjoyed by all.
Leeanna Walker is the editor of the Rogers Morning News. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NWALeeanna