home

Some exciting things have been happening around here - we bought an apartment! Anywhere, this would have been daunting, but the prices and the competition around Boston these days made it even more so. We went to open house after open house, and then finally we found it: a place that felt like it should be our home. It is not perfect (of course!) but there is plenty to love here - white bookcases, ivy draping quaint window panes, black fireplaces marked by age and use. Plus, it is at the top of Beacon Hill! We can't believe our luck.

Home is a word I use all the time. But until recently, to be honest, it just referred to the place I was planning to sleep that night. Hotels we stay at for a few days, my parent's guest room, all of the apartments we've rented over the years - I've called them all home when I've been there. Things feel so different in this new place. It changes things to know that I will be here for a while, and won't be chasing research, a degree, a visa to a new place. I've been thinking about all the good times and bad these walls will certainly see, and how much we will grow here.

I have been so lucky to have lived in different cities - the suburbs of Boston, Cleveland, Montreal, London, Paris - and to have had so many amazing adventures! But staying still and putting down roots is an adventure of a different kind, one I am so ready to embrace.

let's tessallate

I can't stop playing this video and had to share - the music and the visuals are so haunting. Take a look!

california hills

With the turning of the year, I have been thinking back on these last twelve months and how lucky we were to get to the west coast twice! A dear friend got married a few months ago just north of San Francisco, and we decided to take a few days to explore the surrounding area. The nature was just spectacular. We went from hill tops to redwood valleys and back up to the top of Mount "Tam," where we saw incredible views of the city and the sea. There was a certain special light over it all, creating colors in the landscape that were so different from those we are used to seeing here. Just wow. I am so grateful to have been able to visit such a special place.

Welcome 2014!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! I can't believe it is 2014 - this past year really flew by. While I caught myself wishing that I had gotten more done this year, a lot did happen in 2013. We moved to Boston and discovered the city, I became certified to teach yoga, in spite of our plans to stay close to home, we traveled to California, British Columbia, and around New England, and I began writing with The Boston Day Book and Groupon's Local Voices.

The New Year feels like such a great time to reflect on life - to recognize our blessings, to think about what kind of person we want to be, and to see what's been working and what hasn't been. To me, it feels like a clean slate - an open space full of possibilities.

So yesterday before sipping on some bubbly with family I sat down to think about my resolutions for this next year. I think accountability can be so helpful, so I thought I would share them with the interwebs (hello? anyone out there? ;) ) Here they are:

• Do what needs to be done! In effect, stop procrastinating. The associated goal is to finish the dissertation. This huge project has been weighing on my soul and haunting my dreams, and it needs to get DONE! This is a top priority for 2014, and I think finally finishing this will open up so much mental space and creative energy for other projects.

• Challenge myself with yoga and teach outside of my family. As a student, I want to get to a class at least twice a week, because I can often challenge myself more in classes than at home, and I love learning new ways of doing things. As a teacher, I would like to find ways to start teaching people besides my husband and sisters, even if it is sporadic. 

• Take actions that make me feel good in body and mind. Yes, this is pretty general, but I thought about it and decided to keep this resolution less rigid. This would encompass eating healthy foods, communicating well with the people around me, meditating more, and recognizing the joys of everyday life.

So here's to 2014! May it brings lots of joy and happiness to you!

hello again

Well, it has been a while. The last few months have been so busy with thesis-writing and working on The Boston Day Book that I haven't had much time to devote to this space.

But I do love to collect experiences and impressions here. Time seems to be moving so quickly sometimes, and scrolling back through this blog, I see some of my most treasured moments of the last few years. So in spite of my long absence, I do want to keep collecting those moments here, and sharing them with you.

a week in the west

Originally we had thought to stay local this summer, and theoretically had put a moratorium on traveling for a while. But it's hard to resist the invitation to see two good friends get married on Vancouver Island! While I have been lucky enough to have traveled quite a bit, I don't know the west coast very well at all, and we were excited to explore Vancouver Island and the city of Vancouver.

The ferry ride was absolutely gorgeous. The mist-covered sea was otherwordly, and every so often the banks of fog would part to reveal beautiful small islands. 

After spending the full two hours of the ferry on the deck with my camera in hand, breathing in the sea air, my hair was a little bit wild! Me and my voluminous hair caught up with friends that night, and then were busy with wedding preparations the next few days. After the lovely wedding, we stayed in the cute harbor town of Cowichan Bay, where we had so much fun looking at all the boats and house boats!

Further north on the island to visit family, we visited the majestic and aptly named Cathedral Grove - even my tall husband looks small compared to these awe-inspiring trees. 

A sunset canoe ride on Fanny Bay below a spectacular sky...

And then we were off to Vancouver for a few days. We were able to meet up with some friends from our days in Montreal and Paris who we hadn't seen in a few years, and meet their new babe! Vancouver felt so different from anywhere else I've ever been - it all felt so NEW! I guess it shows that I am an east coast girl - cobblestones and crumbing bricks and carved facades are what I expect. Everywhere I looked in Vancouver, I saw residential high-rises with tree-covered roof decks! Our friends live in a neighborhood constructed for the Olympics, and their apartment measures the amount of water and energy they use on a little screen. Each unit is given a large plot of rooftop garden to grow food - it felt like the city of the future. (Although I love my history as well - I wouldn't give up my brick and carved facades!)  

What a great trip! The week away reminded me of how huge America is, and how much there is to see. I am looking forward to so many more North American adventures.

staying cool in summer heat

It is hot out! Yesterday I was booking it across town, and the heat made the scene in front of me actually shimmer. It would be better to be at the beach, but that's not in the cards today, so I'm staying cool in the city.

I recently went to a workshop with Larissa Hall Carlson on yoga for summer, focusing on ayurvedic tips for staying cool. Ayurveda, the sister science to yoga, makes so much sense to me - it is all about balance. During the warm months, to balance out the pitta element that is associated with summer and heat, we should stimulate cooling aspects. Everything has an effect, including what we eat, do, see, and feel. In terms of yoga, balancing pitta might mean focusing on more moderate classes, rather than the most physically challenging vinyasa class. Avoiding forceful breathing (such as ujjayi), closing the eyes, and letting go of competition can also keep your yoga practice cooling during the summer months.

Drinking more water is always important when it is warm, but adding the cooling flavors of cucumber, mint, or lime to water can enhance the refreshing effects. Cool foods such as melon, coconut, and salads will be more balancing than warm or spicy foods. Even wearing cooling colors like blue, green, and white can soothe the eyes and give a feeling of coolness.

I also like to chill out with nadi shodhana, a cooling breath in which you cover one nostril at a time. For most people, it is very calming and refreshing, and it can help with insomnia as well! This video from Larissa shows how it is done. How do you stay cool in summer heat?