MomDate

Had a date with my mom today at Sushi Ocean View...my favorite sush place of all time. Faith is always hooking us up with delicious rolls, and this lettuce wrap was freaking eppppic. Good times, good food, good place, great mom.

Save Me.

Someone please save me from myself. My friend (and yoga student) Kaitlin baked me some gluten free cupcakes for valentines. And they are just as freaking delicious as the ones that Jelly baked me-- which means I have just as little will power to walk away from these little bites of deliciousness. I hope that in the future my students buy me celery or carrot sticks....but, kinda not really ....hahaha.

Home from Florida.

My parents arrive home today and I'm so excited!!!! I missed them so much, but I'm grateful that they were able to get away and have some time together. Thanks to my Aunt Nelly for taking such good care of them down in Florida!

Happy Birthday Julia!

Happy Birthday to my oldest (and bestest) friend, Julisa. As Edward says to Bella...I promise to love you every moment of forever.

Safe + Sacred Space

Well...it's been a heavy week. Family, friends, life ... sometimes it feels like the universe has handed me more than I'm able to properly handle. But then, there's my yoga mat. 72" x 24" of natural rubber. I often say in class that we practice in a circle to create a safe and sacred space -- a place where you can be fully yourself...where you are free to express any angry, sadness, anxiety or happiness that is pulsing within you. Sometimes I have to remind MYSELF of this as well.... Today I went to Ari's 9:30am vinyasa class. I was fine driving to the studio, chatting with the other yogi's before class, and then the second we began our practice I felt a rush of emotions. The next hour and a half followed with me choking back tears, letting a few escape here and there when we were tucked into childs pose where no one could see my face. And to add to the emotions, the class was full of back-bending, working on opening the heart and the heart chakra -- which just intensified everything I was feeling. When we finally came to savasana I was able to hold back the sobs for a few minutes before they finally bullied their way through. Thinking back I'm not sure why I fought so hard against them...I'm not necessarily worried if others perceive me as weak or vulnerable, it was more of how I was seeing myself as such. I pretty much ran out of the studio after class and got into my car, a private place where I could let it all out. And let it out I did. The whole way home I was having some serious conversations with myself in my head. Fuck, I'm so grateful for yoga and for that damn rubber mat....it is the one place that I stop pretending to be so tough and allow myself to be vulnerable and available to really feel exactly what it is I'm feeling. So next time you feel like you don't know where to turn, or feel like you have no one to talk to....take it to your mat. This safe and sacred space is open for whatever you need to release. Thanks to Ari for helping me to work through it and therefore out of it, and thanks to my mat for supporting me - yet again - in this gloriously challenging and exciting adventure of life. Happy Valentines Day everyone <3

"The best way out is always through." - Robert Frost

Jelly Cupcake Love.

I love yoga. I love teaching yoga, and I love the people that I get to share this passion with. Jelly (Angelica, whom we lovingly call by her fathers nickname) is one of these very special individuals. She makes it out for most of my Zen Den classes, and I always make sure that she sets up near me. She is an itty bitty petite yogini, but she's got sass for days-- and I love that! For Valentines Day she baked me cupcakes with strawberry icing and O.M.G. they are freaking deeeeelicious. Namaste friends...have an amazing Valentines Day ... you're fucking amazing.

I heart e.c.

The yoga ladies and me, cuddling up to Edward.

John, surprisingly not feeling threatened by Edwards presence...

scandalous.

<3

oooolala thankful for Pinterest !

EC Love.

Who got a cardboard life size standup of Edward Cullen?! THIS GIRL!! Thanks to my bestest friend Julia out in Seattle for knowing how to bring some sunshine into my world.

Ammmmazing!

Amazing Ari.

Ari is so so so amazing. She is the owner of The Zen Den, where I teach in margate. A major bonus of working for her is that I get to practice at the ZD for free!! Her classes are insanely challenging but as long as you go to class WITHOUT an ego, you'll be fine. Ari does an amazing job at breaking down difficult poses to make them accessible. Today we were fucking around with all sorts of inversions. The first picture is Ari showing us some craziness ( that I clearly chose to skip - and instead acted as photographer ). The second photo is Aris awwwwesone hubby, Adam getting into another inversion that just wasn't for me. And the third photo is my friend Michelle. We practiced next to each other today. Practicing next to someone you love always gives more meaning to your practice. We laughed at each other when we fell, we encouraged each other when we found our way into difficult postures, and of course we held hands in savasana. Thanks to Ari for hosting another awesome class!!!

Bacon.

If you eat meat, then THIS is why you should know where it's coming from. Take the extra second and spend the extra buck to buy from companies with integrity.

Turkish Coffee.

Holy shitballs.

I am so caffeinated right now I feel like I'm buzzing likea bee. Flying. Yeeeew.

Had an EPIC day today -- did a power yoga class with Ari at the Zen Den, followed up by lunch and lattes with one of my besties, Miss Jamie D, at Who's on First Cafe, and then got in some Q.T. with ROB Kulisek. Rob and I are obsessed with all-things-coffee, so I was super stoked when he offered to brew me a turkish coffee. I've had java every which way...vietnamese, iced, french press, percolated, espresso, americano, latte, cappucino, this way that way and every other way -- but never turkish. CHEERS.

1. Using on of these cool stove top thing-a-ma-jiggers (technical name: "CEZVE") put in one teaspoon sugar, and fill with cold water.

2. Grind coffee to a powder. *If you are using whole beans: grind, grind, grind. If you are using ground coffee, grind grind grind. You want a powder.

3. Pour powder into little thing-a-ma-jigger. 3 heaping tablespoons for 2 people.

And now I will reference the professionals:

1. Pour in cold water in the coffee pot. You should use one cup of cold water for each cup you are making and then add an extra half cup “for the pot”. Add a teaspoonful of the ground Turkish coffee per cup in the water while the water is cold and stir. The amount of coffee may be varied to taste, but do not forget, there will be a thick layer of coffee grounds left at the bottom of your cup for properly made Turkish coffee. Don’t fill the pot too much. If you need to add sugar this is the time to do it.

2. Heat the pot as slowly as you can. The slower the heat the better it is. Make sure you watch it to prevent overflowing when the coffee boils.

3. When the water boils pour some (not all) of the coffee equally between the cups, filling each cup about a quarter to a third of the way. This will make sure that everybody gets a fair share of the foam forming on top of the pot, without which coffee loses much of its taste. Continue heating until coffee boils again (which will be very short now that it has already boiled). Then distribute the rest of the coffee between the cups.

Since there is no filtering of coffee at any time during this process, you should wait for a few minutes before drinking your delicious Turkish coffee while the coffee grounds settle at the bottom of the cup.

Brewing: Traditionally, and for the best taste, expect the brewing process to take 15-20 minutes. Slowly bring the mixture to a frothing boil on the stovetop. As the froth gets close to the top, just before it boils over, remove the ibrik from the heat, allow the froth to go down (you can do this by stirring), then replace it on the heat. After the third frothing boil, serve the froth in equal portions into each cup, replace it on the heat for a fourth frothing boil, then serve. (Although it has become commonplace to make Turkish coffee with only 3, 2 or just a single frothing boil, it generally tastes best with the traditional 4.)

This just in: I'm adding an extra class at the Zen Den!! Monday nights, 7pm-8:30pm YIN. Yeeewww!! Hope to see you there!

Fun and more Fun.

Yesterday I taught 7am Yin in Avalon, followed it up with an epic breakfast and coffee, some graphic design work, gave a massage, and then taught my 5:30pm Slow Flow Vinyasa class in Margate. After the class a few of us went out for drinks. Kylee, Col, me and Paisley met some other friends at the Tilton for some Gunniess with Sprite, as well as a {pitiful} game of pool. In bed before midnight. I slept at the house where Ky is house-sitting/dog-sitting and got to cuddle with Lola this morning before I headed to the Zen Den to take one of Ari's incredibly challenging yet totally rewarding classes. It was packed and the energy was good...plus there was a very sexy yoga man in the back of the class that made my view from downward dog a pleasure! Left power yoga and stopped to visit my friend Mila at Who's On 1st cafe in OC before giving TWO massages @ Exodus. Amy (the owner) and Vicky (the massage therapist) both received one hour thai massages from me. Headed home, a bit exhausted, enjoyed some food and some family time and now I'm getting ready to head out for my 7:30pm Candlelight Slow Flow Vinyasa!! But the good times are only beginning...my favorite cuz, TC, is coming up with her boyfriend David. I love the SHIT outta both of them and cannot wait to have a full 3 day weekend with them!!!! YEEEEWWWW!!!

Prayer for Mealtime.

Another thing that I took away from the Thai Yoga Massage training that wasn't part of the bodywork, was a little prayer that my teacher and her boyfriend would say before they ate. I'm not very religious, and I don't usually say a prayer for I dive into my food - but I loved the 30 seconds that they took before eating to close their eyes, hold hands and gave up a little awareness and gratitude. The prayer that Jennifer would recite is from the Gita, and she just forwarded it to me.

From Bhagavad Gita 4.24

Brahmaar panam Brahma Havir
Brahmaa gnau Brahmanaa Hutam
Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam
Brahma Karma Samaadhi naha

Om Shanti shanti shanti