Scotch and Such...

Andy and Me.

Uncle Sean...my Dads baby brother

"This ones to Paul...."

Happy New Year!

Well, it happened. I broke my cleanse. I had three Johnny Walker blacks (neat) on New Year's Eve in key west. I don't regret it, and I am grateful for the lesson that it taught me....which is that I love sober living! I don't like the way that alcohol got in the way of me having fun. I enjoy waking up in the morning and feeling amazing! And I like having a clear-head at all times. Let me start from the beginning.....The whole day leading up to the new year was amazing. It started with breakfast at Help Yourself, my FAVORITE organic eatery in Key West (and quite possibly in the whole US!). Then Andy and I met up with my Uncle Sean and headed to the beach. It was the first (and pretty much only) day of sunshine that we had, so we were super grateful. My uncle brought snorkels and masks as well as some food to feed the fish. I haven't laughed so hard in years....between Andy and Sean, I was in stitches! We swam around then soaked up sun. Andy took a rest in Sean's hammock, and while he rested I caught up with My uncle. We talked a lot, about some heavy and important stuff. He filled me in on his life, and I filled him in on mine. We talked about dad a lot, about how much we miss him, and how much he meant to us, but we both embody so much of him that there was a comfort in each other's presence that I haven't gotten from anyone else, and don't think that I CAN get from anyone else. He looks so much like my Dad. He says some of the same exact things as my Dad. And he even does the same hip-swaying "drunk" dance when he's had too many cocktails.... It was the most perfect day and I am crying tears of joy as I relive it to write this. So perfect. We left the beach and headed to happy hour where we snacked on fresh seafood and the boys threw back drink (after drink, after drink). Next up was the Green Parrot for live music, only to end up back at 801 Bourbon Bar for some gay shenanigans and drag queens. The gay men loved Andy, despite him being incredibly straight. Uncle Sean proudly introduced us to all of his friends and made sure that we were well taken care of. As the night progressed we moved the party upstairs to the Drag Queen Show. It was unbelievable and there we ran into all of our friends from the dive shop. Mayhem. Debauchery. Busting splits on stage with the drag queens and dirty dancing with shirtless gay men. So fun. The night ended with a 3am swim in a friends heated pool and sleeping under the stars on a comfortable outside couch. Such fun, such chaos, such love.

It has been a sad and challenging years in many ways, but there has been such growth - and I am so proud of myself. This year my mantra is "I am infinite. I am inspired." And of course, "I am powerful and amazing". Happy 2014 my friends.....

My New Years Eve resolution for the past 8 years has pretty much never strayed from:

• stop biting my nails
• stop dating losers

On occasion I will throw in the "lose 5lbs", but even I know that a shallow endeavor such as this for an intention never sticks around for long. So, what to do - what to do? I figured that this year my aspirations should be a little bit higher, so I decided to utilize an exercise that Seane Corn ("Off the Mat, Into the World") had published in Yoga Journal a few years back {thanks Michelle for resending it to me!!}:

Making Positive Changes In The World:

1. Write down two or three words that someone who loves you would use to describe you. Choose the qualities that you think others appreciate about you.

2. Write down three of your favorite hobbies or talents (ex: gardening, surfing, etc.)

3. Write down your ideal vision of the world (ex: a world free from violence, where everyone has organic food to eat, etc.)

4. Now put it all together in a sentence.

This was mine:

1. Passionate, Authentic, Charismatic
2. Cooking, Traveling, Teaching Yoga
3. A more compassionate world.

Example 1:

I will use my passion for and through traveling to create a more compassionate world.

Example 2:

I will use my authenticity through teaching yoga to create a more compassionate world.

Last night when people would ask me my New Years Resolution....I'd respond with, "Well, I plan to use my authentic nature through teaching yoga in hopes of creating a more compassionate world". The response was first surprise, and then a huge, heartfelt smile.

What was YOUR resolution? Or better yet, what could your sentence be?

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do."

Dancing My Way into 2012

I spent last new years eve in a warehouse in downtown LA with over a thousand people...6 hours of yoga, 11 minute meditation leading into the New Year, and then a wild and liberating dance party into the wee hours of the morning. I was sipping from red solo cups, but they were filled with Kombucha, not booze. It was the most fun that I had ever had celebrating the arrival of a new year. This year I was unable to get away, but hoped to be able to find something along those lines around here. Well, easier said than done.... But alas, I managed to find a 2 hour powerful prana flow vinyasa with the yogi ninja superstar, Simon Park, at Dhyana Yoga in Philadelphia.

"Simon Park was featured in Yoga Journal as "one of the most influential and gifted…next generation of yoga teachers." He draws inspiration from many styles (Vinyasa, Iyengar, Ashtanga, Thai massage, and martial arts) and teachers (Shiva Rea, Maty Ezraty, Joan White, Duncan Wong, and Dharma Mittra). Simon is dedicated to sharing the teachings of Shiva Rea, his first teacher. He leads workshops and teacher trainings in Vinyasa Yoga and Thai massage worldwide.

The class was vigorous, intense, sweaty, super challenging and totally inspiring. Afterwards delicious food was enjoyed (some briny oysters on the half shell, mussels and a champagne cocktail with St. Germaine), before heading to the World Cafe Live. Playing at the huge downstairs venue was a fabulous 20+ piece band, Philly Bloco. Tickets had been sold out, but thanks to Facebook I found the head honcho of the band, emailed him- offering up a gazillion dollars and my right arm in exchange for a ticket, and dont cha know it- voila. Ask and you shall receive! I danced to the intoxicating Brazilian Carnaval beats from 10:30pm til 2:30 in the morning. Everyone was dressed up but I opted for sneakers, and yoga clothes. Grateful for another amazing celebration of the New Year, and now-- I'm resting my legs....ALL DAY.

I wish that my camera would have been able to capture all of Philly Blocos booty-shaking-amazzzzingness!

Sent from my iPhone

2009

2009.
Esterillos, Costa Rica 8am, jan 1:

The party last night was amazing. The HOUSE it was at was AMAZING. Words, nor photos, would do it justice. So just imagine the most beautiful house with the most fabulous views, and that is Briggete's house. On the top of the hill.

We all had to bring some kind of food - so we brought Noah's 3-Bean dip. If at anytime last night you wanted to find someone from the Soda Mary crew you just had to go to the table that the food was at - we were all gathered around. Or later, as more booze was consumed, they could be found in the pool. It was an animal themed party, and about half of the people there came in costume. I have TOTALLY been slacking with taking pictures, and last night was no exception. I did manage to get a few though -- but didn't get any of the great costumes. Sorry guys. They had an AMAZING, rocking band from Vancouver play at the party. They sang a lot in spanish, and they were kind of a reggae, jazz, latin fusion. Soo good. We danced all night. Shawn was out there shaking his thing, as were a ton of other people. Good stuff. Shawnie bought their cd, "Butterfly Man" by Aaron Nazuri. Check them out at their myspace, www.myspace.com/aaronnazrul . They are doing a tour all the way down to Argentina and back, out of their RV - and they are really young, all in their 20's.

Shawn and I skipped out around 11:30 pm when the alcohol consumption significantly increased. We walked down the hill and rang in the new years with the gunshots and fireworks of the neighbors. Asleep by 12:01. We slept in today though, didn't get up until 7:30!!!! Two and a half hours of sleeping in!

Having some coffee now and then heading down the beach for the Local Surfers of Esterillos Oeste group photo.

Shawnie on the roof deck, pimpin in the BEAUTIFUL canopy bed.

Adam, Me and Noah

Adam, telling a story....

Me and Pat

Noah and Hippy-Mike, Skullet-Mike, Super-Mike, Legend-Mike, on the roof deck