Photos of yoga camp!

Hippies, Yoga and some Real Good Food!

I just got back from an amazing weekend! My friend Jenn and I went to Lenox, Mass to the Kripalu Center for a yoga retreat. We left work early on Friday, hit the train and made it up to the ashram around 4:00 p.m., just in time to check in and go for a walk and figure out our schedule. This area is amazing, acres and acres of grottoes, meditation spaces, rolling hills and a giant lake. I should have the pictures loaded in a few days. It would take forever for me to describe everything, so I will just hit on the high points.

Things I loved:

• The grounds. You could spend a day just wandering about enjoying nature.
• Yoga classes there were amazing. I am so sore today!
• "Aromatherapy", "Getting in touch with your Authentic Self" and "Ayurvedic Medicine" classes taught by Courtney B., who was super cute.
• THE FOOD!!! Everything was all natural and organic from local farmers. I haven't eaten so well in YEARS. I think I gained weight
• Having my aura read by a girl named Waterfall (seriously). My aura is mostly violet and blue. It means I am balanced. Yay! (I know some of you are snickering right now about the balanced part).
• Spanish band that played on Saturday night

Things that were weird:

• No talking allowed during breakfast
• So many people in toe rings? What's up with that?
• Yoga Dance class where we were told to dance around like our favorite jungle animal and say things to other people in the class like "you are luscious" and "you are powerful". A little too hippie trippy for me, thank you.

I definitely want to go back in the Fall. I feel totally rejuvenated!

The Bronx

I went with Dawn and Jennifer to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx this weekend to shop. They have been going for 8 years and this was my first invite, so I was pretty excited, and honored. We got in the car at Jennifer's apartment in Harlem and then drove to the Bronx. Arthur Avenue is the site of A Bronx Tale, Mobsters and The Godfather. It started out as an old Italian neighborhood and is to this day, an old Italian neighborhood. We visited the butcher, the bread-maker the candlestick maker (kidding). We ate shrimp on the street and had lunch at Emelias and I bought 30 giant ravioli from a 75 year old woman in a pasta shop who has been making ravioli for 65 years. I bought spicy sausages and cheese and wine and onion bread and pastries. I bought 5 giant, heavy bags of goodies for my freezer and refrigerator. Dan was so excited to see my purchases. If you ever want to feel like you have gone back in time, visit Arthur Avenue. It was amazing. Check out the photos below. Afterwards, we treated ourselves to some great bar food and pool at a local pub. It was quite possibly, a perfect Saturday.

Pictures from shopping in the Bronx!

Mini-Vacation and No Pictures

We got back to NYC late last night after:
1. being delayed in Miami
2. not being able to land in NYC due to weather
3. re-routed to Philly
4. wait in Philly for the longest time, on the plane, with no food, and grumpy people
5. eventually make it to NYC and luggage gets stuck in baggage claim
6. finally get to the car after 12 solid hours of traveling

Miami was great! The conference was at the beautiful Intercontinental in Biscayne Bay. I was working most of the time, but Dan and I did get a chance to sneak away for some pool time and a trip to Little Havana for some amazing cuban food. We had the jalapeno appetizer, and a sampler of pulled pork, ground beef, plantains, yucca, rice, tamale and ham croquette. It was more than enough food for 2 people and only cost us $14 total. I love local dive restaurants. The only problem was the stomach ache I had the next day from all the grease.

On Friday night, after the conference was over, we went to Bayside, which is an outdoor mall and restaurant area right on the ocean. We had a great dinner of Argentinean BBQ and then went outside to dance and listen to a great cover band (I danced, Dan listened to the band). It was a beautiful night! On the way back to the hotel, we sat down by the ocean to soak in the beauty, until a giant rat ran past us, then I realized it wasn't that beautiful and we walked quickly back to the rat-free hotel.

No pictures this time folks, sorry...I forgot to charge the battery in my new camera. You will just have to imagine the fun times we had.

Birthday Celebrations

I finally had a chance to post the photos from our birthday celebrations. Dan got me an amazing new camera for my birthday, so notice the quality of the new shots. Ahhhh, so pretty!
The joint BBQ party was a total success, the weather cooperated, everyone showed-up, the food was great (thanks Dan!) and everyone was able to stay until the sun went down. The next day, I joined the girls on Jenn's fabulous rooftop deck for drinks and cake. Again, great friends, and the most perfect sunset I have ever seen in the city.

On a work note, I just got back from Washington DC where I spent several days in meetings for a new project I have been tasked to manage. The reason I got tasked with this group is because they are high maintenance and a "problem". Um, why me?? Actually, the meetings went very well and I get along fabulously with the team leader who is a Mormon from Utah. I played the "Utah/Mormon Card", which I think she bonded with and appreciated. Hopefully that will mean that she will be nice to me. Next week I will be in Miami for an international tax conference. The topic isn't so sexy, but the hotel is amazing and Dan is coming with me, so I am hoping we will get a little time at the beach and by the pool. Plus, we are going to spend a day with Dan's grandpa who lives in Boca Raton. He is the sweetest, most energetic 80ish year old I know. A total inspiration. I am a little tired of traveling for work, but I will try not to complain since my travel destinations are usually pretty awesome. It would be another story if I had to travel to Toledo or North Dakota for work.

Birthday celebration on Jenn's Deck!

Pictures from the birthday BBQ!