Family Day on the Back Bay.

Blackberry Mint Julep

I LOVE THAT IT'S ALMOST SUMMER!! After living in Costa for a few years I have grown accustomed to HOT weather, like 90degrees-in-the-morning type hot. Thank GOD it was a mild winter, otherwise I would have lost my damn mind, or just turned into a depressed drunk. Ha! Speaking of cocktails: my favorite thing about summer is not the beach, not the shoobies, not the madness...but hanging out in my parents back yard, grilling, eating and drinking and laughing. We are professionals. And better yet, I love being able to throw on one of my (3,000) dresses. I hate clothes, and I don't know how to dress for the cold. So summer time is MY time. Last night I made a spread of: 

• Blackberry Mint Juleps
• Grilled Summer Squash w/ Bagna Caruda + Fried Capers
• Grilled Broccoli with Lime Butter and Parmesan
• Dill Biscuits
• Smoky Eggplant Anco-Spread
• Grilled Shrimp + Scallop Skewers

and some plain rice. 

I'll post all of the recipes at another time, but for now I'll just focus on the Blackberry Mint Juleps. I have been obsessed lately with classic cocktails - with a little twist. Traditional Mint Juleps are Bourbon, simple syrup, and muddled mint. I kept that recipe the same but added on some muddled blackberries, used agave nectar and a bit of powdered sugar instead of the simple syrup, and topped them with a splash of club soda so we weren't just sipping straight bourbon. Good times on the regular. 

Letting Go.

I really needed Ari's yoga class this morning. Physically I've been feeling horrible, which in turn has me feeling a bit down. My joints have been aching - mostly my hands (knuckles, wrists), elbows, and knees. Then there was the whole drama in Avalon with my job. And, something that always weighs heavy on my mind, my Dad. Ari's class was still super challenging, but she added a lot of forearm postures into the mix as well as a forearm stand, which my wrists and I were very grateful for. Knowing that I've been holding onto a good amount of anger, frustration and sadness, Ari started out with a little story to start our practice - which I held with me throughout my practice {and even after!}. I found a version of it online, and it goes like this:

Life offers up a heavy load to carry....Let Go.

Two monks, going to a neighbouring monastery, walked side by side in silence. They arrived at a river they had to cross. That season, waters were higher than usual. On the bank, a young woman was hesitating and asked the younger of the two monks for help crossing the river. He exclaimed, 'Don't you see that I am a monk, that I took a vow of chastity? I cannot help you woman.' "I require nothing from you that could impede your vow, but simply to help me to cross the river,' replied the young woman with a little smile. 'I can do nothing for you,' said the young monk. 'I will help you' said the elderly monk. 'Climb on my back and we will cross together.' Having reached the other bank, the old monk put down the young woman who thanked him in return. She went on her way and both monks continued their route. The young monk complained and carried on, scolding the elder monk saying, 'You shouldn't have carried that woman on your back. I cannot believe it! It's against our rule!.' 'This young woman needed help and I put her down on the other bank. You didn't carry her at all, yet she is still on your back,' replied the older monk.

LET GO. That is the lesson of the story here. Though the young monk never once held the woman, he was still carrying her - all the way from the river to the monastery. What is it that you are carrying with you? I always say if something isn't lifting you up - then its dragging you down. If something or someone does not serve you physically, emotionally or spiritually - then LET GO. And so my mantra during savasana was:

I let go of my anger, there's nothing I can do to enlighten her. 

I let go of my sadness, holding on to it doesn't help him. 

I let go of my physical pains, they are only temporary. 

I let go of anything that doesn't lift me up. 

I am vulnerable, I am available, I am celebrating.

I left class feeling much lighter than when I walked in, having gotten rid of all that I've been carrying around with me lately. Big gratitude to Ari Green for another enlightening and uplifting class, and to all of the yogi's that I share the classroom with every week.

Not Today.

I have been OBSESSED with Game of Thrones, a series on HBO. It's a fantasy/medieval show that is totally addictive. Season Two is on right now and they're about half way through it. I only starting watching a few weeks ago, and for two days I holed up on the couch and did nothing but watch back episodes. This series in an adaptation from the book series written by George Martin, which I've just ordered and cannot WAIT to devour! Mom and Dad love the series as well, and since I love beating things that I enjoy to death (Twilight, which I've watched a thousand times...), I've watched each episode at least twice. Dad has a hard time following along and remembering so he's always game for a repeat episode with me. Our favorite quote we've taken from it...? Little Arya was working with a swordsman and he said to her, "When death comes knocking at
your door, you respond NOT TODAY". So today we are at HUP, and when dad sat in his chair for his infusion he said, "Not Today". Amen to that!

Summer Schedules

Yesterday was my last class at Surfside Fitness in Avalon. I was fired after class, which I pretty much saw coming. I've had a million different jobs: nannying, yoga, music, surf lessons, waitressing, cleaning, massage, catering...and this is my first time ever being 'terminated'. Considering the terms, I gotta say that I'm okay with it - but I will say that I am going to miss my AVALON COMMUNITY very very much. Fortunately Arianne Green, my boss at the Zen Den, is amazing, supportive, appreciative and generous. She has opened a studio in Ocean City (9th + Asbury) and has given me my pick of classes. I'll be teaching there on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings {the schedule begins on Memorial Day Weekend}. Also, this will be my 4th year teaching yoga on the beach @ 41st street. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays I'll be doing a 7-8am all levels flow for $10 donation {beginning in June - sunday June 3rd}.  I will only be teaching two YIN classes this summer and they will both be on Wednesday night. Wednesdays 5:30pm - 6:45pm I'll be teaching a yin flow at the Zen Den in Margate and later at 7:45pm I'll be teaching a yin class at Living Well CrossFit Center.

I am really looking forward to the summer ahead -- it is going to be a good one: filled with music, beach, fishing, yoga and friends. Thank you to the outstanding community in Avalon who came out all Fall, Winter, and Spring to support me and to join in on the beauty of yoga. My apologies that I won't be in town this summer- but I'll see you in Ocean City and then come Fall 2012 I'll be back in Avalon!!

Namaste!! 

Wanderers Brekky.

 

I might not be in South America, or Central America, or in Asia...but I've been maintaining my morning meals from abroad. Whether its a Quinoa + Egg scramble and kale, or some Mediterranean CousCous with raisins, almonds and hardboiled eggs...I begin most mornings with eggs (fried, poached, scrambled or hard-boiled) and a grain (rice, cous cous, quinoa). There's usually an avocado involved, and sometimes some kind of bean or legume...oh yes, and always Sriracha hot sauce [which reminds me of the homemade 'sambal' everything is served with in Indonesia]. I eat most meals with a tablespoon and a fork, using the fork to push the food onto the spoon - the proper Asian way. Food has always been one of my favorite aspects of travel, and coming home later and recreating the dishes I've had is always a ton of fun. Though my Dad sits next to me and says "ew" every five seconds as I'm eating my creations from overseas, I enjoy every bite. *My dad is a meat + potatoes kinda guy, who only eats bacon and eggs for breakfast, or make some pancakes. Anywho, this mornings creation was a Central American/Asian bowl of goodness. In the fridge I had: 

1/4 Onion, diced

1/4 Red Bell Pepper, diced

1 Jalapeno, seeded and diced

               **sautee in a skillet

Rice (just a small handful, I prefer the mix to be mostly veg + bean)

1/2 cup Beans (today I had Kidney beans)

A handful of Corn 

Fresh cilantro

            **throw into the skillet after the veggies have cooked for a bit

Then I season it with a bit of garlic, salt, pepper, and Sriracha. I serve some finely sliced cabbage alongside [that I tossed with a touch of lime juice] for some clean, crisp crunch.

Finish it off with a perfectly fried egg on top, and extra Sriracha hot sauce too!!

Perishable Item

 

I've been eating too many French fries lately, and been drinking too much beer. Bleh. On pinterest I saw this post about being a perishable item and living accordingly. This I know, but it's good to have a reminder every once and a while. Back on the juice-train, roasted some beets today and feeling powerful and amazing in my yoga practice. Been feeling super grateful for the garden that we have (and to my mom who has been busting her ass every day to maintain it). Stopped by to see Bridget today and she was working on her container garden. Growing your food is gooooooood :)

Fresh Juice that I made :)

Roasted Beets are great to have in the fridge. Preheat the oven to 350degrees F, peel the beets, drizzle with a touch of EVOO, some salt, pepp and cumin and roast for about 30min (covered with tinfoil). They are great to add to salads or put over grains...or just eaten with some tahini dressing drizzled on top.

Bridget working hard in the garden.

A few hours...

 

"We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own."

Wow. What a difference a few hours can make. I wept (not crying, not sobbing, but weeping) the whole way to Margate. And then...class. I love teaching. I truly, 110% believe that I was born to be a teacher. It's like breathing, a natural and organic part of my being. Tonight I was blessed with an amazing group of yogi's and I shared with them the Karuna meditation throughout class. I have been practicing it lately, but it wasn't until I brought it into the classroom and started sharing it with the others that I was able to truly take on this compassion and embody it for myself....and for others {with the 4 Divine Abodes of Buddhism you wish them not only for yourself and for those you love, but also for those negative.soul.suckers.that.you.don't.like). I laugh to myself sometimes because I wonder to myself if my students are hearing me at all or if my ramble just sounds like "blah blah blah, om namaste, blah blah blah). By the way, I hate the word "student"...does anyone have an alternate name? I don't feel like I'm this almighty teacher - standing on a pedestal. My guru Mark Whitwell always says the only way an exchange of information can happen is when the relationship is a friendship - when it's coming from a personal level,  from the heart - when it is shared, and not preached. This is what I strive for. So anyways, for these "people whom I share a space and a practice with", I always wondered if they thought my "yoga-sermons" were ramble or if they really heard it and felt it and embodied it. Well...they hear it, and they feel it, and they sure as hell embody it -- and tonight I am the happiest, most proud and fulfilled yoga teacher that ever lived. After class two of the women approached me, two very special women who have been practicing with me since my first day at the Zen Den. They told me how my classes have changed their lives - and that they hope that I too listen to what I preach, because I too am a "powerful and amazing" human being. One woman, who hasn't spoken to her father in a dozen years, was moved to call him tonight (it was his birthday) because of the Karuna compassion meditation. "May I be Kind. May I be aware of your suffering. May I be open to your suffering. May I respond to your suffering with love and compassion.". Shitballs, you yogis really know how to make a girl feel amazing. I drove home in a total different state of mind than I had on the drive there just 2 hours prior. Instead of feeling angry, sad, frustrated, alone and I anxious .... I felt empowered, alive, grateful, humble and happy. Thank you yogi's for the love and light you offer up, thank you universe for the ability to teach, and thank you Yoga for giving me a path and a passion <3

Karuna.

This picture sums up how I feel right now, like a need a hug. But a REAL hug, a full hug, an "embrace" I should say. Been fighting off a dark cloud lately. Mostly I feel anxious. I've been trying to put my finger on it, that way I'll be able to work my way through it and out of it. I've felt no motivation to do much of anything, and have been sleeping extra as well as falling asleep throughout the day. A constant state of fatigue. Obviously I can identify that there is anxiety and sadness about my Dad, but what has been waking me up at night is stress from the woman I work for in Avalon. There are about a hundred different words I could use to describe her, but I'll just sum her up as being very very difficult. Every encounter with her is challenging and leaves me crying, exhausted, frustrated and angry. At this point I have no idea how to communicate with someone like this, and I've internalized it. I haven't had a proper shit in almost two weeks....and that's a serious problem. Laugh if you want, but this has never been a problem of mine! Add to this a gnarly ear infection, and a $1300 bill from the autoshop which is more than I made last month (to fix something that as my mother reminded me "could have been fixed" if id just listened to her earlier. loooooveeee to hear "I told you so" when you're down). Been having lots of dreams lately, probably because with all of the sleep I've been doing lately I've given by mind plenty of time for it! The dreams have mostly been about Sri Lanka. Maybe they aren't even dreams, maybe just day dreams...like I've planned them on my way into lalaland. Alas, they are interrupted when I wake up with pain in my chest so heavy that it feels like I can't breathe. I keep reminding myself that this is not permanent, it'll pass, and instead of pacing around the house - opening the fridge - closing the fridge - making a cup of tea - reheating the cup of tea - pacing a bit more....that there is probably a better way to respond. So tonight's practice is a result of my current internal mayhem. We are doing a YIN set tonight along the Lung meridian (which is associated with Sorrow and Courage) and I'm incorporating the Buddha's Karuna meditation (compassion) so that I can respond to any of my internal suffering with love + compassion. 

Lung Meridian:

Emotionally, your lung meridian is associated with courage and reverence, with an ability to experience our moments as precious and to stay in the experience we're in. Poor lung chi is expressed not only through extended bouts of sadness, but also by feeling emotionally stopped up or unable to express grief.  --taken from Sarah Powers' INSIGHT YOGA.

I keep hoping that I'm an emotionalmessravinglunatic right now because of this damn "super moon"...fingers crossed! 

S'mores Galore!

I spent a lazy Sunday at Brad and Rochelle's. Ro made an epic dinner, which was topped off with a dessert of champions- homemade s'mores!!!!! We roasted our marshmallows over the candle...Ro being calculated and never letting hers too close to the flame, and me diving right in! I love a charred marshmallow so I allowed mine to catch fire several times before sandwiching it between chocolate and graham crackers. A delicious dessert indeed that made me feel like a kid again!

Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo is probably my favorite holiday...I mean, it's all about margaritas and Mexican food, what's not to love about that?!? Mindy and Leslie joined mom, dad and me for dinner. I made some spicy salty sweet fried peanuts, guacamole, mango salsa, shrimp tacos, and sopapillia cheesecake. To drink we had margaritas, but I certainly didn't use any of that premade bullshit. The first few rounds were using a citrus blend: orange, grapefruit and fresh line juice. The second round was a batch of fresh made juice: watermelon, cucumber, mint, and lime. Then, after it was shaken and poured I put a slice of jalapeño in there for some added spice and depth. Que rica! Can't wait for next year...

Opening Day

Today was opening day of Flounder Season!!! I had to miss out because I was teaching a yoga class, but I was able to make it down to the dock upon their return. Dad's friends Billy and Gary helped him on the boat and took him out, and Mom went too. Dad caught the only keeper flounder, 19", but I told him that he got lucky...if I had been on the boat I surely would have caught one bigger than his! It's the little things like this that bring a tear to my eye - some days are tough but days like this make it all worthwhile! 

Dad filleted the fish...and even though he's damn near blind, he can still clean a fish better than any man I've ever met! I'm pretty sure it's muscle memory...he's been cleaning fish since he was just a boy - I'm sure he could do this even with both eyes closed! 

Spring Asparagus Soup

 

Spring Asparagus Soup!

Our asparagus has been growing like a weed!!! I love it simple: sauteed in a skillet with some EVOO, salt, pepper, and lemon. But eating it like this day after day gets a bit old, so I decided to make a soup out of it. I had some Israeli Cous Cous (also known as "Pearl Cous Cous") that I wanted to use, and soup produce laying around the house. So, here's how I did it:

In a skillet, drizzle some EVOO. Pour in the israeli cous cous and let it brown. In a soup pot sautee some diced onions/shallots/garlic. Toss in some sliced asparagus. Then add cous cous and broth. I added some lima beans and green peas because I had them in the fridge. A generous amount of fresh pepper, fresh herbs, and a touch of salt. Boom. For some extra flavor: add some curry powder :)

Quinoa + Eggs

Okay, so I realize that this doesn't LOOK crazy appetizing, but its fucking amazing. Thanks to my friend Brie for introducing me to this epic paring of two of my most favorite foods. I almost always have cooked quinoa in the fridge...I put it on salads, in wraps, and sautee it with veggies and such. But this is my favorite incarnation of this delightful, fluffy and healthy grain. 

I began by sauteing some leeks (from the garden) in a skillet. You could always use onions or shallots if you'd like. Then I put a few big spoonfuls of the cooked quiona into the skillet, married it to the leeks and then I poured two eggs (which I beat first) over top. The eggs almost act like a glue, making a somewhat loose "patty" of the quinoa. I scrambled it around the pan, added some cumin, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. I served this 'omlette' over some kale from the garden, some sliced tomato and avocado, and I finished it by sprinkling it with raw hulled sunflower seeds. Oh yeah, and I topped it with some tahini dressing (if you don't make it yourself, a delicious one available at the supermarket is Annie's GODDESS Dressing).  ENJOY, and big thanks to Breezy for the inspiration <3