Perception and Reality...

I was asked to make a CD with music for sex...
I was asked to make a CD for music to smoke out to...
Let me explain...  I love music.  Find it can lift one's soul.  Good music is all around... it just takes some work to find the right tune for the right setting.  So, it does not surprise me that I get a lot of compliments on the music I use in the various fitness classes I teach.  I put a lot of time in researching music, meeting with DJ's, and finding the latest mixes for yoga, spin, etc.  My music selection is vast.  I love all kinds.  My parents often tell me I was born in the wrong decade due to my love of Cat Steven's and CCR.  Yet I also love good house music and anything with a base beat.  And, I can rock out to yoga grooves with deep roots... Like I said, I love music.

People have asked me to make them CD's of some of my mixes they hear in a class.  I always say sure.  However, I was caught off guard last week as a woman asked me after yoga class to make her a CD for sex.  I laughed.  She was serious.  I said huh?  Then I agreed.  The following day after my spin class another lady asked me if I would consider making a CD with music that would be good for smoking pot to.  Again, I laughed.  She was serious.  I said HUH?  Then I agreed. 

So on Saturday night, while most of the world was going out and having fun, I sat in my sweats, had a glass of wine and made the CD's.  I was laughing.  I am single.  I do not smoke pot. 
Perception versus reality sometimes can be way off! 
Yet, I love music and if I do say so myself I made two killer CD's.

Letting Go

I was fired.  Breaks my heart to even write it...
I was let go from a job I absolutely love.  Really found it a joy.
No warning - totally shocked.  

Rewind to one week earlier where I was in LA attending a Buddhist lecture.  I did not want to go but my friend begged me (not kidding).
Why do I even question life?
The lecture was on Letting Go...  The Lama shared with us that in the Western world we view a loss as a negative.  When we let go of something we view the loss as if our life can't do without whatever 'It' was.  The Lama said that we should change our perspective to view a loss as a gain.  When we let go of something it's actually a new beginning.  A chance to open up our life to a new season...  Who knew the Lama would be sharing a message that was going to hit so close to home.

After being so unkindly let go from something I loved doing, I was surrounded by true community.  I had not felt that much support and love in a long time.  2 days later I was offered 2 jobs.  Both better paying and better environments.  I am blessed.  A loss can, in fact, can be a gain :)

World AIDS Day 2011

Today my heart goes out to an innocent child suffering with HIV.  As I sit comfortably in my flat in Southern California, my mind and heart are in Kenya...
Three years ago I was in Africa doing non-profit work with AIDS orphans on December 1... I remember thinking, "today is World AIDS Days and I'm in a country that is so infected by the disease." I was overwhelmed with emotions. Seeing little kids, so innocent, being given a death sentence.  Sometimes life is not fair.  To this day I'm still burdened over what I experienced.  So, I decided to do something, to support a child with HIV.
Three years ago I was able to meet him. There are few things in life where you just know... once I saw him there was a connection and love. He is my African son. On this day, where recognition is given to the AIDS crisis - I want to honor my living boy who is sick with HIV - Anthony Mwendwa Muange... I have nothing but love for this little man.  It makes me sad to think that an innocent child is having to suffer with this terrible disease...  Today my heart is in Kenya...

To learn more about World AIDS Day, please read the following:
"Started on 1st December 1988, World AIDS Day is about raising money, increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education. The World AIDS Day theme for 2011 is 'Getting To Zero'. World AIDS Day is important for reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things still to be done.  The official website is 2011 World AIDS Day.

Gratitude - Happy Thanksgiving

On this Thanksgiving morning I sit alone.  Kind of weird.  It's my first holiday where I have not been with family. I've been traveling a lot (pictures taken from trip to Ohio).  I've recently seen family, and with the crazy airfare I decided to stay in Laguna Beach.  But instead of missing family and feeling disconnected I've decided to change the way I look at the situation.  I have a lot to be grateful for. 
In yoga this week my focus was on gratitude.  As I taught classes we dedicated our practice to a gratitude flow.  So in listening to my own advise, I have decided to cultivate a spirit of gratitude.  Here is what I'm grateful for:
- Grateful that I get to have a peaceful cup of coffee and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. My annual tradition :)

 - Grateful for my clients who saved me a bike in spin this morning so I could pre-sweat out the craziness I will inhale this afternoon. 

 - Grateful that I do not have to cook a big dinner today, this is the first year I have not hosted in 10 years and it feels nice.

 - Grateful that I get to attend a Thanksgiving feast in So Cal, show up, eat, drink, be merry, and leave.  No crazy clean-up this year!

- Grateful that my friend Karin from Vienna is here visiting me and after our Thanksgiving feast last year in Austria I now have her hooked on this holiday.

 - Grateful for a new found love for my family... really truly love them.  Good, bad and all in between - I'm grateful for my family.

 - Love love love my 2 little nieces!

 - Grateful for my cat Mother Teressa.  She rocks!

 - Grateful for my friends near and far.  Way beyond blessed in this department.

 - Grateful for my private yoga clients-they add so much value to my life,  honored to work with them.

 - Grateful that I get to teach yoga for a living.  Had to make some major changes to get here but it was worth it.

 - Grateful that I get to travel this upcoming year... it's a real passion and I'm lucky I get to.

  If you're ever feeling in a funk - express some gratitude.  It has the power to shift you.
Happy Thanksgiving... wherever you are :)

Thanksgiving in Vienna

It's the eve before Thanksgiving and I reflect upon life as I knew it one year ago.  Last year at this time I was living in Vienna where I was teaching yoga and working on translating a website from German to English.  My mom flew over to visit me and after returning from our weekend trip to Italy we cooked a Thanksgiving Dinner for my new Austrian friends. 
Looking back, I am so grateful for that time.  It was priceless.  Also, finding a turkey and pumpkin anything in a land that does not celebrate Thanksgiving was super challenging (not to mention the language barrier.) 
For the rest of my life I will remember my European Thanksgiving.  I am still in touch with the women who I shared dinner with that evening.  One of them has flown to the US and is spending Thanksgiving with me this year in California.  I am truly grateful and look forward to future European Thanksgivings!

Laughter is Good Medicine...

This week in yoga I decided to emphasize laughter.  I often find that funny things happen to me.  Humor has been my long time friend.  So, as the holiday season is approaching I decided to highlight how laughter can help  through the seasons.  Be on the look out for funny things, they are all around you...
For example - two weeks ago, I was invited to a house wedding reception in Los Angeles.  Wanting to look as cute as I could, I wore a sleek black dress with high black boots and a trendy scarf (I'm single).  I get to the house and they have a no shoes policy.  WHAT?  No shoes... this is not good!  I also have a fetish for fun socks and had on the most ridiculous pair under those hot black boots.  Sometimes ya just gotta roll with life.  Take a deep breath, laugh, and go with it.  I took off the boots (picture insert of socks worn at wedding).  Needless to say, I received many stares and left the party single and laughing.  I'm still laughing. 
Sometimes Laughter is Good Medicine...

Fit Female-CSUF

I'm learning not to take myself so seriously.  Really. 
Last week I was nominated Fit Female for the month of November at CSUF.  Went to work and was showered with some craziness.
I entered to teach my yoga class with the max of 42 yoga mats and 42 faces staring at me when my boss comes in and gives me this lovely award.  It's sponsored by Nike, Schwinn, and Playtex Tampons.  Playtex is the biggest supporter and so what do I get... Yep, a bright pink yoga mat that says 'Playtex Tampons - Be Unstoppable'  Their marketing director should be fired!  I was given a nice supply of tampons and some lovely clothes to wear.  I thought I was being PUNKED.
The guys in my class were laughing so hard.  Photo shoot is next Monday in class where I have to wear all the lovely sponsor clothes and use the Tampons Yoga Mat.  This was the first time in yoga class that I passed out tampons.  I'm learning to laugh a lot and just go with the flow. 
I would advise the same to you... when life throws you the unexpected (or a lifetime supply of tampons) - just roll with it and don't take things so seriously.  Really...

Following the Current

With the month of October rocking my world, I'm going to just go with the flow.

I'm stepping into the riverbed of my life and swaying in the deep blue...
PEACE!

'The expression "Go with the flow" is a metaphor that applies to navigating a river. When we go with the flow, we follow the current of the water rather than pushing against it. People who go with the flow may be interpreted as lazy or passive; but to truly do so requires awareness, presence, and the ability to blend one's own energy with the prevailing energy. Going with the flow does not mean that we toss our oars into the water and kick back in the boat, hoping for the best; rather, it means that we let go of our individual agenda and notice the play of energy all around us. We tap into that force and yield to it, which gets us where we need to go a whole lot faster than resistance will.
Going with the flow does not imply that we don't know where we are headed, but simply that we are open to multiple ways of getting there. We are also willing to change our destination, clinging more to the essence of our goal than to particulars. We acknowledge that letting go and modifying our plans is part of the process. Going with the flow means that we are aware of an energy that is larger than our small selves and are open to working with it, not against it.
Many of us are afraid of going with the flow because we do not trust that we will get where we want to be if we do so. This causes us to cling to plans that are not working, stick to routes that are obstructed, and obsess over relationships that are not fulfilling.
When you find yourself stuck in these kinds of patterns, do yourself a favor and open to the flow of what is rather than resisting it. Trust that the big river of your life has a plan for you, and let it carry you onward. Throw overboard those things that are weighing you down. Be open to revising your maps. Take a deep breath and move into the current.' - The Daily OM.

Nieces

I'm grateful that I get to be an aunt.  My older brother has two nieces and they are the loves of my life.  I can only imagine how life will be when I have kids.  Ryane and Reese (4 and 6).  The sad part is they live 2,000 miles away and I do not get to see them as often as I'd like.  During the month of October I had to fly back East 2 times and was able to spend some fun weekends with them.  We painted pumpkins, carved pumpkins, had a slumber-party, made their mom a birthday cake, sang goofy songs, danced around grandma's house... it was beyond fun.  I love that I have two little women in my life.  They add so much value, like a sweetness only kids can create.  I'm so grateful for my nieces and hope to always have a close relationship with them both.  Love you Ryane and Reese! :)

Hollywood Bowl: Sound of Music Sing-A-Long

The Hollywood Bowl is one of my favorite venues.  It's the closest thing I can find to Europe in LA.  An outdoor amphitheater located in the Hollywood Hills.  People come, picnic, and sit under the stars while watching an outdoor concert.  Nothing better than eating, drinking, and being merry with 18,000 other people.  It's large, yet it still feels like a small community of people. 
I try to attend the annual Sound of Music Sing-a-Long.  It's beyond fun.  We get a group of friends together, choose a song from the famous movie, and then we dress up to the song.  It's hilarious.  People get creative and get their freak on.  This year the song was "How do you solve a problem like Maria."  I dressed up as the clown... If you are ever in LA and can attend this event I highly recommend it.  Connect with the kid in you and have some fun (with 18,000 other people).  It's great, so good it sells out every year.  Check out the Hollywood Bowl

Laugh at Yourself

The last 24 hours have been complete 'laugh at the idiot in me' status.  Sometimes you just have to laugh at yourself.
Last night in my vinyasa flow yoga class I had 43 people; was at max capacity.  I had just finished taking them through a challenging flow and took them into child's pose to relax and focus on their breathing.  I told them to take a deep breath in, exhale out, and FOCUS ON YOUR BREASTS!  Yeah!  I have no idea where that came from... I was not thinking about breasts, 43 people were in child's pose and I could see no breasts... what did I just say!  I meant to say, take a deep breath in, exhale out and focus on your breath.  I'm still laughing!

Today after my first private yoga client I headed to Trader Joe's to pick up a specific item.  I'm sending a couple of care packages to friends afar and wanted to add in the most amazing thing on the planet... The Dark Chocolate Carmel Sea Salt bars.  I kid you not when I say they are amazing.  With 3 chocolate bars in hand I go to check out and of course choose the hottest cashier (total cool surfer with a tan, funky hair, and tattoos).  It was about the time that he looked at me that I got my Dior sunglasses stuck in my hair!  Bloody hell - how was this happening to me?!  Didn't I embarrass myself enough last night in yoga?!  I started laughing.  He started laughing.  Tries to tell me it happens to him all the time.  My hair is in a knot, I ended up having to pull some out in the detangle process...
Sighhh - looks like my expensive damn Dior's ruined my chance for love at Trader Joe's.
Sometime you just have to laugh at life and laugh at yourself...

A New TATTOO

नमस्ते:शांति
Today I am getting a new Tattoo.  I've been wanting another one for a while and today seems like the right time.  Since I teach yoga and get to do this for a living, I thought getting Namaste and Peace would be cool and it's meaningful to me.  I always end my yoga sessions in Namaste, which is a greeting used in India.  In Sanskrit it means a couple of different things:  "the light in me honors the light in you", "the spirit in me bows to the spirit in you", "I honor you", and it also know as a way to give respect.  I love it.  It's simple.  Namaste : Peace...
 Forever engraved on my wrist...
 Today I'm getting a new tattoo!

Plateaus...

"It's a natural part of life to have periods of activity & growth followed by periods of quiet.  Sometimes we need to rest in order to integrate a new vision of the world, or ourselves, taking time to assimilate realizations & let old patters & habits fall away.  While it may appear that nothing is happening, these can be necessary periods of rest & integration to stabilize our new growth.

At times, we may be afraid to invite more change.  Yet change is the nature of reality.  Just as a plateau is a good location to get our bearings, to see where we have come from & where we might go next, it is also a place we must not be afraid to leave if we are to move to the next level.

There is no time to not be our your path.  This is not to say that you cannot ever rest or stop.  It is not about overachieving or overworking yourself; it is just about challenging yourself to always be awake in your life, to keep showing up in the moment.  If you need to rest, do so for the present. 
But if you are stagnating -numbing out, escaping or being unconscious- it is up to you to acknowledge it.

Often stagnation settles in just before an important breakthrough.  It helps to explore the stagnation in order to move beyond it.  Have compassion for yourself as you work to remove the obstacles to your progress.  With persistence, you will be on your way to the next plateau."  -Bits taken from the Daily OM

I'm learning to love the plateaus as they are short & full of wisdom. 
Taking the time to reflect & rest AND enjoy the view...

AcroYoga

My first experience with AcroYoga was in Portugal.  I was living in the Spanish mountains for yoga teacher training and given the day off to explore my surroundings.  So, what does a yoga teacher in training do on her day off?  Go to Portugal of course! 
Jenny, who is my base in the photos, went with me to Portugal and in a little tiny village she taught me the basic of acroyoga.  The experience is quite exhilarating, requires trust, and is so fun. 
To my advantage, I was a college cheerleader and a college cheer coach where there was a lot of stunting.  It also helped that my base was a former college cheerleader as well, so our fear level was minimal and we went for it. 
AcroYoga is a relatively new term in the yoga field.  It was coined by Jason Nemer and Jenny Sauer-Klein of AcroYoga.  It's the physical combination of yoga, acro-balance, and Thai massage.  The practice cultivates trust, communication, playfulness, and balance for both the flyer and the base.  Check out Jason and Jenny's website above to see some amazing photos and who knows, you might even get hooked yourself or at least attend a workshop... 
Just last week while at a yoga festival I took a basic acro-yoga class with Jason and Jenny.  It was fun, but I found myself wanting more challenging poses and postures.  Who knows, maybe I like living on the edge more than I realize.  :-)

Camping in Lake Tahoe

This weekend my friend Sam and I went camping in Lake Tahoe.  Both yoga teachers in Orange County, we were heading up to what I like to call a little yoga Woodstock known as Wanderlust.  This was to be a fun weekend as we decided to get our camp on... note - neither one of us camp or even know how to set up a tent. 
After driving 9 hours and arriving at the wrong camp site only to find a bear... No lie!  At 11:30pm we roll into the campground, find our spot, and somehow manage to set up a tent in the dark.  Thank you friends for allowing us to borrow those ridiculous looking head-flashlights.
The yoga festival was a great experience.  Sleeping under the beautiful starts was breath-taking.  I truly do love nature and the outdoors... just not showering for 3 nights and 4 days.  Yes, we became one of those hippie, funky smelling organic people.  Gypsy sink showers and swimming in pools to clean off... oh how grateful I am for the little things - Like my shower!!! :)  Yet, I'd do it all over again.  Loved the weekend and the fun experience with my yoga friend Samantha.  Next year we are attending the festival, but flying and getting a hotel...

YOGA WOODSTOCK

Wanderlust 2011.  Lake Tahoe, California...  Here I come!!!
Getting ready to get my fun, funky, yoga hippie on for a weekend.
I call this event the closest thing I can find that's similar to Woodstock...  yoga-style.  :)
Driving up north with another yoga teacher I work with at Cal State Fullerton... Samantha and I are in for a journey.  People come from all over the world.  4 days in the beautiful mountains, with 4 stages of music and more yoga classes/workshops to choose from than one could imagine.  I am so happy to go and be a student not a teacher.  Excited to come back with new ideas for my classes and my private yoga clients. 

I have a feeling this is going to be a fun experience.  Neither Sam or I know how to pitch a tent... and we are camping... and we just found out the camp site does not have a shower... ummmm... this is going to be interesting as there are thousands of us attending this festival!
Check it out at Wanderlust 2011

Turning 32

July 26, 1979... I was born. 
This year I turned 32.
I love getting older.
The older I get - the happier I am.
There is a certainty, a peace, and a "who cares what others think of me" that just naturally comes with age.
I'm still young, yet my life has been full with many life experiences.
Grateful for another year.
Appreciative of the wonderful family and friends in my life both near and far.
Looking forward to my 30's and to what life has ahead...
From a Beach Party on Saturday with 40 of my friends to being celebrated at the Rooftop Bar last night in Laguna Beach with my closest crew... Happy Birthday to Me!  :-)

Still in love with NOLA

Six years of going to New Orleans to help rebuild after the 2005 hurricane and I'm still in love with this city.  The People, the Culture, the French Quarter, the Art, the JAZZ MUSIC... this feels like a home away from home.

This year for my 32nd birthday I told my family I wanted for us to fly to New Orleans and build together.  So that is what we did.  It was a great experience to have my family and friends working with me on something that is so dear to my heart.

I also visited my adopted grandma Mrs Martha.  I have a flower garden that I tend to every year in NOLA... it's Mrs Martha's.  She is so special to me.  Love our porch-sitting chats.

My trip this summer was one I will not forget.  My family and I stayed with my friend Tony at a volunteer headquarters called Operation Helping Hands.  I was able to see families of older homes I've worked on, stop in at my favorite non-profit called St Bernard Project, and even eat at my favorite spot grubbing on a po-boy at "Today's Ketch".  Even ran into my favorite artist (Reggie Bush) randomly in the French Quarter and he gave me one of his new pieces of art for free.  The energy in this place suits me!  This trip was also special in that I was able to meet up with friends who have moved to the city.  One couple announced they are expecting their first baby (Congrats Scott and Morgan).  Another couple (Dan and Amanda) has invited me back to stay with them for Mardi Gras... So, New Orleans - I will see you again soon - February to be exact... My first Mardi Gras awaits...

New Orleans Bound...

NOLA Bound and happy!  I'm going back to my second home - New Orleans.  If I did not live in California and had to pick another location in the US, I'd choose New Orleans, LA.  
It's the closest thing I can find to Europe without leaving America.  The culture, the amazing jazz music, the food, and the people make this one of my favorite cities on earth.

I've been blessed to travel the world and still NOLA is special to me.  It's been 6 years now since I've been going yearly and doing volunteer/rebuilding work and I keep going back for more. 
When I use to work at the university, I took my first group of college students down the year the hurricane hit.  It changed the way I look at volunteering.  So, I continue to go.  I continue to roll up my sleeves and work.  And I will do so until the I no longer can.  I've fallen in love with the families whose houses I worked on and continue to visit them.  This summer as I am getting ready to celebrate my birthday, I can think of nothing better to do than spend it with good friends and family in the city where Jazz began... I'm so excited to go back!

Mrs. Martha - I'll be there in 2 days!  Can't wait to sit on your porch, plant your flowers, and talk about life.  NOLA Bound and happy!!!

Private Yoga

My business is yoga.  I am one of the few who gets to do what they truly love for a living.  I am incredibly grateful.  And while I teach a lot of yoga classes, private yoga is my favorite.  I love my clients. 

To me, if one can do private yoga, that is the way to go.  It's time just for you.  No one else.  Time set aside to love yourself, de-stress your body, clear your mind, and make room for peace and relaxation (while getting proper technique and hands-on assists).  It's beautiful, really.

No private yoga session looks the same.  As everyone is different with different needs, so are the workouts designed.  I work to create a save place for the client.  I always say to them that what happens in private yoga, stays in private yoga. :) They have permission to be themselves, knowing that I am creating space and holding that space for them to just be.  We meditate, we flow, we workout, we sweat, we even do yogi push-ups and yogi crunches.  Sometimes we even chant!  I am so honored and blessed to get to work with people, creating space for them to connect the body and mind.  Making room for a little peace and zen... one private yoga session at a time.   - Namaste! 
Click here to learn more about Private Yoga with Katie

Love for a Friend

My best friend was just diagnosed with cancer.
She is 29.  She is fit, fun, and lovely.  We have traveled to some amazing places together.  Some of my favorite travel stories include her.

We've gotten lost in Italy, been searched for in Greece, majorly sunburned in Croatia, surfed in Hawaii, re-built homes in New Orleans, danced the night away on Burbon Street, went wine-tasting in Germany... and many other fun things... the list of traveling adventures with her could go on and on.  She is the closest thing I have to a sister.  Love her dearly.

Today Christine had surgery.  They went in to try and remove the cancerous tumor.  I'm in shock really.  How can someone so young and so amazing have this happen to them?  I feel for my best friend.  I wish that she did not have to go through this.  I have no idea the "why" in this... yet I do believe that one day I will be able to look back and see some good. 
Right now it just hurts... 
I'd give anything to be back with her in Venice...

Feeling Enlightened...

I met a Guru this week.  A Buddhist Lama.  Went to LA, off Santa Monica Blvd, to hear his teachings and lecture.  He talked for 3 hours.  Listened.  Learned.  We meditated.  The event went until 2AM!  The experience was quite enlightening.  Ever since I have met him, he gave me his blessing and then put his third-eye to my third-eye I have felt like I’m floating.  It’s been 4 days now and it’s like I’m still on cloud 9.  I don’t want it to end, yet I feel the spiritual/out of body experience hard to describe in words.  I feel a new sense of peace. 
When I went up to meet the Lama, even if you are not Buddhist you can go up and get a blessing from him, we had a connection.  It was personal.  It was real.  He said some amazing things to me.  Things that are not usually said…  When I think of our interaction and the words we exchanged with each other, it makes me teary-eyed.  Complete gratitude.  Utter peace.  I have a calm and a knowning about my life that I have not had.  I am grateful beyond words.  Thank you Lama Ole and my Buddhist friends in LA for a wonderful time of teaching and meditation. 

What is meant to happen will happen...

My first two months back in CA was just a total wash.  I was living with friends and an adopted family trying to find a place.  I was working hard to save money and I was in major major reverse culture shock.  Had the hardest time adjusting back.  I remember going with friends to a restaurant and soooo annoyed that the server kept coming by to see if we needed anything.  Don’t they respect our privacy?  They even dropped the check off without us asking – I felt they were rushing us.  I did not tip them.  Somehow I had become European… I understand why they are so frustrated when they come over here, as majority of Americans rush everything. 

A couple of months into it I had found a place to live, picked up a lot of work to support my massive monthly apartment fee, and broken up with the guy that I have moved back early from Europe for.  I thought we would be living in a fun flat together and starting a new season of my life with him, but that is not what fate had in store.  Oh how I often dream of going back to Europe.  Yet, running from life when it gets tough is not what works.  So, I am here – 6 months later.  Teaching yoga, trying to find my zen, and trusting that what is meant to happen will happen.  I am not to question life – just peacefully accept what I've been handed and try to give as much love and light as I can along the way. 

A place to call home...

After moving back from traveling Europe to the US, living in Ohio with family during the Christmas holiday and then finally hitting home in California – I was beginning to feel like a modern day gypsy. 
I had always said that I’d love to be this modern-day traveling hippie (who shaves) yoga teacher/gypsy woman… But in all honesty, it was beginning to take a toll on me.  I had lived in many places in the last year.  And, as much as I loved it and exciting as it was, there is something special about having a place you can call home.  I was craving that. Home is and has been for some time California.  Laguna Beach.  So to come back here after 6 months of hitting it hard traveling – oh it feels good to be back.  I’m meant to live by the water.  Maybe I was a dolphin in a former life :) – but I find a sense of peace and homeness( just made that word up) when I am here.  

As I travel the world, because I know I will travel again, Southern California will always be home base.  It feels good to know that.  It’s not perfect – but no place is.  Yet, it works for me.  I have friends here.  I have adopted family here.  I have the beach.  And I have the warm weather I love.  I get to walk to my yoga class on Saturday morning and do so not in 2 feet of snow.  I’m lucky.

Montepulciano Top 10

When in Italia - Tuscany is a great place to explore.  It has a rich beauty that does not disappoint.

I had the fun privilege to return to Italy during wine tasting season.  When I was given the offer by a friend who owns a vineyard in Montepulciano, I started packing. 

Me, Italians, Vino, Vineyard - need I say more - I was in Heaven!

If going to Tuscany here are some things I would recommend:

10 - Rent a car and explore...

9 - Who cares if you get lost - it's all beautiful and you are in Tuscany!

8 - Stop along the way, get out of the car, breath it in, capture the moment.

7 - Take an umbrella - serious.

6 - Drink the wine - any really, it's all sooo good!

5 - Tuscany is filled with beautiful, small towns and vineyards - visit a couple

4 - Cortona - best village sitting on a hilltop in Tuscany (where Under the Tuscan Sun was filmed) Ammmmmazing!  Lovely.  Best food I've had in Italy. 

3 - Montepulciano - beautiful, small, great food, amazing vineyards.  Where the Twilight movie was filmed.  Walk the streets, buy some pasta, drink the red...

2 - Salcheto Vineyards - a must see - friends own - it's beautfiul!  http://www.salcheto.it/

1 - Live in the moment, you're in Italia - eat, drink, laugh, be merry!!!  

YOGA via SKYPE

Yes - Yoga and Skype can be a beautiful thing.
I teach yoga via Skype and it works.

Just yesterday something amazing happened. 
It was a picture and a moment I will never forget. 
Beautiful.  Tugged at my heart strings...

For the first time in one room doing yoga on the East Coast was my mother, my 80 year old grandma, and my 4 year old niece.  They were taking a yoga class lead by me on the West Coast. 
I was able to give my niece in her first yoga session.  She listened well.  Followed along and who knows... maybe one day she will take after her aunt. 

At the end of class we were seated on the floor with legs crossed, eyes closed, hands at heart-center in prayer position.  I instructed them to take a moment to offer up any prayers of gratitude - That's when I saw my 4 year old niece begin to quietly do so.  Her little eyes were closed, long blonde hair relaxed on her shoulders, and a peacefulness about her I have not seen.  I just sat, looked at her, my mom, and my grandma all participating in this yoga practice of gratitude. 
I can not describe the feelings that came over me.  Wonder.  Peace.  Happiness.
It's the small things in life that really matter...
Teaching my 4 year old niece how to say Namaste...
Yoga and Skype - a beautiful thing!

a love for travel...

The morning was still dark as I drove my friend to LAX.
4:30 AM is no time for deep thinking - or is it?
I found myself in complete excitement that I was driving someone to the International Terminal at the Los Angeles Airport.  Even at bloody 4:30 AM!  I wished I was the one flying...  I found myself thinking about the joys of travel.  The learning experiences.  The excitement.  The thrill of the unknown.

I find traveling to be one of the pure joys of my life.
It's an experience one can not describe in words.
It truly changes the way one looks at life.
To travel is to see the world through a different set of glasses.
To walk into a culture - an unknown - where all judgements are proven wrong.
To learn that the world truly is a beautiful place as vast and different as it is. 
To be unexpectedly surprised by the learning process that only comes from getting one's-self out of their comfort-zone.  That to me, is the best life has to offer.

Pulling up to LAX - I allow my mind to shift back to reality.  I hugged my friend goodbye as he ventured off for a month of exploring in Central and South America.
Driving back home at 5:30 AM, the morning was still dark...
I found myself smiling as I dreamed of my next trip.

Mental Vacation

I've taken the last month off - a mental vacation so to say.
Within the month, I have unloaded all my belongings from storage - after a 6 month move to Europe,
Moved into a quiet retreat that I can call home,
And allowed myself some proper time to rest. 

Turning one's brain off is necessary from time to time.
I call it a MENTAL VACATION. 
I suggest you try it sometime.
One is still present - Still in the moment.
But, there is no thought about the past or the future.
No to-do list.  No worry.
Just being. 
It's freeing.  It's refreshing. 
It allows room for creativity to re-enter the life.
A little zen can even be found...

Take a mental vacation, even for a week. 
See how your stress and mood begin to shift.
Mental holidays or mental vacas as I like to call them are great!
I'm back and feeling good after some needed brain R&R...

A Loss Can Be A Gain...

I am moving... I have just ended a relationship... Creating space for the good to enter - saying Yes to Life and a New Season...
As my friend from Vienna is visiting me in Cali, I am reminded how everything in life happens for a reason... Sitting this morning drinking Nespresso, overlooking the ocean - I opened my Daily OM and this is what I read:
  "When we are ready, the vacancy left by a relationship, a job, or a dream can then be viewed as open space that can be filled with something new: experiences, knowledge, job opportunities, dreams, people, and ways to grow.  There are many methods to weave the threads of loss into a blessing.  If you have lost a job or ended a relationship, your first thoughts may revolve around filling the void with similar work or the same kind of relationship.  Try not to rush into anything just to fill up the emptiness... Surrender to the fact that sometimes in life we have to let go and allow what is new to enter into the vacant spaces created by our losses.  In doing so, you are honoring what has left you and welcoming the new into your life with open space, an open mind, and an open heart."
I am moving into a new space that I can call home...
I have just ended a relationship... Creating space for the good to enter...
Saying Yes to Life and a New Season

In Search of Zen...

Ever since I've moved back to California from living overseas, I've been chasing Zen.  After 1 month I am still adjusting to the busy lifestyle that I once used to love.
Today I looked up the meaning of the word ZEN.  The dictionary said it was enlightenment by meditation in which there is no consciousness of self...
No matter where I go or what I do in life (regardless of circumstances) I want to live in peace.  Truly a zen lifestyle.  Sometimes I think about it and chase it too much.  It's like I'm trying to force peace to happen, when all I am required to do is stay present.  I'm learning to just be. 
In my quest for Zen; here are some words that have inspired me (from friends and wise guru's).  I hope they are encouragement to you:
 - "It's not good.  It's not bad.  It just is."
 - "There are two ways: One way is that you hustle and you swim and you go across. Or, you let things happen to you, and you are taken across in a luxury liner. It is up to you."
 - "If you understand, things are just as they are; if you do not understand, things are just as they are."
- "When the pupil is ready to learn, a teacher will appear."
Today I looked up the meaning of the word ZEN...

Yoga and DETOX...

YOGA and DETOX
by Katie Bond, MA, RYT, CPT

Yoga helps the body in its natural detox process.  Our bodies are designed to detox every day naturally participating in a daily elimination of waste and toxins.  Yoga comes in and acts as a companion to this process.  It partners alongside the natural bodies response to rid toxins and helps move this process along in a safe and all natural state.  The poses used in yoga are tools to help in this process. 

Here is how detox works: (and it’s not from drinking a lemon-based liquid) Our body is made up of three systems for detoxification: - circulatory, digestive, and lymph.  These 3 systems play a vital role in our elimination of waste from toxins or bacteria in the body.  Specific yoga poses such as folds, inversions, twists, and downward facing dog have been proved to assist with the bodies detoxification. 

In yoga we focus on the mental and physical detox.  Different types of yogic breathing can be used to help relax the mind and rid the body of unwanted waste.  Through folds, twists, breathing techniques, and inversion the yoga sequence can quicken the detox happening within the body.

While yoga is a good friend to detox, being mindful of what you put in your body can also help.  Foods that are great to eat with detox in mind are: fresh fruits, raw vegetables (especially broccoli), green leafy foods, citrus fruits (lemons, limes, etc), green tea, cilantro, Echinacea, cayenne pepper, parsley leaf, mung beans, seeds or nuts, and omega-3 oils found in foods such as avocado, hemp, fax seed or olive oil. 
What you drink is also important.  The best thing is water.  Drinking plenty of water helps flush the body and has a natural cleansing effect.  Specific products, such as Yogi DeTox Tea, is sold to aid in detoxification.  Foods to avoid while wanting to emphasize detox are: dairy based products, sugars, processed foods, alcohol, and meat. 

Essential oils are also used for mind and body detox.  Individuals often will use the oil in a bath or apply to skin.  Rose, black pepper, cypress, juniper berry, fennel, coriander, parsley, sage, frankincense, carrot seed, grapefruit, orange, lemon and nutmeg are known for their detox benefits.  If using one of these oils make sure to mix with almond or olive oil before applying directly to skin.  Baths are also known to be very cleansing.  A natural way is to use Epsom salts in hot bath water.  Sitting in this salt is known to naturally pull toxins out of the body. 

The body will feel the benefits of the yoga detox.  People often choose this natural and healthy way of detox because it is safe and proven to work.  Benefits of the detox include: elimination of toxins and waste from the body, more energy, mental clarity, better sleep, healthy digestion, clearer skin, stronger immune system, reduction of stress, and fewer aches and pains.  Yoga and detox go hand in hand in supporting the body to be as healthy as it can naturally be! 
Resources for further reading:
www.life.gaiam.come/article/yoga-detox
www.pureinsideout.com
www.squidoo.com/yoga_detox
www.livestrong.com
www.healthandyoga.com/html/news/detox.html
www.learnhowtodetoxyourbody.com
www.globalhealingcenter.com

European Road Trip Top 10

Driving across Europe... in an old, red BMW with the windows rolled down.  Yes, that is what I did at the end of summer.  Sometimes, when life presents itself with an opportunity (such as this) my advice is to roll with it.  I'm always up for an adventure and love to travel.  My favorite type of travel is with locals in the region where I can live with them and truly experience the culture.  So, when friends from Europe invited me to join an all out road-trip... I had to say yes!  It was an amazing experience; one I will never forget.  We drove from the middle of Europe all the way to Athens, Greece.  It was hot.  It was amazing.  It was FUN!

When taking a road-trip across Europe here is my Top 10 List:
10 - Music is essential - create a fun playlist
9 - Water, water, water - hydrate and even pour it over your head if it's as hot as 40C in Greece... yeah, thought I was in the first phase of hell it was so hot.
8 - Only choose to road-trip with fun, laid-back people... there is nothing worse than an uptight traveler in a car :)
7 - Maps, can't go without them
6 - Have your camera ready because something amazing will be waiting around the corner
5 - Pack as much of your own healthy food as possible - gas station food is not good for the body
4 - Have your passport ready... boarder crossings = new passport stamps!!!
3 - Have a plan but be willing to go with the flow
2 - Laugh a lot.  Have fun, be silly, who cares what hour it is, what you look like... enjoy the journey.
1 - If at all possible have AC in your car... we did not and I'm lucky to still be alive today from the almost heat stroke in 40C+ temps.  Oy vey, Oy vey!

Thank you friends for such a lovely time getting lost all over Europe.  I loved it and would do it all over again... to wonderful memories and amazing sites.  

Benefits of YOGA

Yoga benefits the body on both a mental and physical level.  Research has shown the Hatha form of yoga to help prevent, heal or alleviate conditions such as: asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and cardiovascular risk factors including cholesterol.  When practicing yoga, benefits include: increased flexibility, improved range of motion, stress-relief, toned muscles, detoxification, and relaxation. 

Restorative Yoga, also known as Yin Yoga, helps to rejuvenate the body through the practice of relaxing in postures that are restorative to the body.  Restorative Yoga is beneficial to athletes as well as individuals coming off of an injury.  When relaxing the body in restful postures, students find that restorative yoga increases energy levels, calms the mind, and contributes to better sleep. 

Hatha and Restorative Yoga run parallel, complimenting Physical Therapy.  The combination of PT and Yoga synergistically create a balance of body awareness and strength.  As I have returned to CA and currently work at a PT Studio teaching yoga, I am seeing how the form of asanas can make a significant impact in the lives of others...

The Coffee House

I have traveled to many places visiting the latest trendy coffee shops.  Most are chic, with a trendy euro vibe where you can sit, relax and enjoy the latest cup of joe.  In my latest trip back to visit family in Ohio for the holidays, I was introduced to a new cafe.
The Coffee House in Waverly is suprisingly very modern.  I walked in after living 6 months in Europe and it felt as if I had never left.  This quirky coffee house has a cabaret essence with funky tables, mirrors, and the latest Rolling Stones magazines.
The co-owner's Ashley and Jennifer are fun, laid back, and ready to serve.  They have done their research and know how to properly brew coffee from all over the world.  These women have teachable spirits and go to the roots of the culture so brewing is done properly.  And, they serve amazing food.  This coffee house, which was once an old bank, has kept its charm.  The place is cutting-edge and it does not even know it.   If you are ever driving through Southern Ohio, stop by the Coffee House in Waverly.  I guarantee you will not be disappointed!

I am back in Laguna Beach...
Happy to be home;
Missing the adventures and journey of traveling.
Experiencing a mild version of reverse culture shock.

I am back in Laguna Beach...
Feels like I've hit the ground running.
I've gotten use to the slower paced life...
Experiencing a mild version of reverse culture shock.

I am back in Laguna Beach...
Grateful to have my mini cooper car;
Yet not use to driving so much and miss the subways.
Experiencing a mild version of reverse culture shock.

I am back in Laguna Beach...
Sitting and staring at the waves,
While my mind reflects on the beautiful places I have just visited.
Experiencing a mild version of reverse culture shock.

An article on re-entry into your home country:
http://articles.cnn.com/2010-08-24/travel/cultural.reentry_1_peace-corps-volunteers-culture-shock?_s=PM:TRAVEL