Choose Wisely, You Will Have to Return to Work on Monday!

While planning your next vacation, ask yourself what you’re in the mood for? Are you in need of a restorative/yoga retreat, or are you ready to climb Machu Picchu?

Many people I know complain about pre-trip chaos and anxiety only to return with post-trip depression and fatigue. If you are going to take time off work and leave the comforts of home and loved ones, make sure you embark on a journey that is worth your while.

I recently went on a vacation, and it was NOT a restful retreat. It was more of a raging party! I embarked on Jam Cruise 10 on Jan 9th, 2012 and had the time of my life. The itinerary: 6 days at sea, Jamaica, Haiti, and an unbelievable line-up. Jam Cruise is a music festival on a cruise ship.

Jam Cruise 10 Line UP:

Umphrey’s McGee – Galactic – Keller & the Keels – Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers – Toots & the Maytals – Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe – Soulive – Railroad Earth – Ozomatli – The New Deal – Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue – EOTO – 7 Walkers feat. Bill Kreutzmann, Papa Mali, Matt Hubbard and George Porter Jr w/ Steve Kimock – The New Mastersounds – Shpongle (Simon Posford DJ Set) – Garage A Trois – Perpetual Groove – Dirty Dozen Brass Band – Toubab Krewe – Zach Deputy – Breakscience w/ Chali 2na – George Porter & the Runnin’ Pardners – Orgone – Omega Moos – Dr. Klaw – Surprise Me Mr. Davis – Dead Kenny G’s – The Heavy Pets – That 1 Guy – A set of Sly and the Family Stone feat. Ivan Neville, Eric Krasno, Ian Neville, Adam Deitch, Nick Daniels & Nigel Hall – Tony Hall Superjam – Everyone Orchestra – Paper Diamond – DJ Logic – KRAZ – Ryan Montbleau – Brock Butler – Nathan Moore – SPECIAL GUESTS: Steve Kimock – Anders Osborne – Robert Walter – Col. Bruce Hampton – Big Sam – Kyle Hollingsworth – Chali 2na – John Oates – Jessica Lurie – Anders Beck – SOLO ARTISTS: Ryan Montbleau – Brock Butler – Nathan Moore

I danced for hours every day to sassy New Orleans funk (my favorite). Some of my most memorable shows: Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Galactic, Trombone Shorty, Karl Denson, Ozomatli.

I was tired upon my return, and it took me a couple of days to get back in the swing of normal day-to-day living. Nonetheless, I wouldn’t have traded that trip for anything.

A closer look at the dynamics of travel:

Traveling can be a great way to test your limits and see where you’re at mentally and emotionally. Vacations can take a toll on our bodies as we can be thrown out of whack with time zone changes and disruptions to our routines. Sometimes being on the schedule of companions or a third party is the last thing we want to adhere to when on vacation. My patience and ability to let go of control are usually tested when I am traveling. I am sure we all have funny/sad/annoying/ridiculous travel stories. I’d love to hear from you!

Here are some resources for a more restful getaway:

• The Omega Institute, Rhineback, New York

http://retreats.bliss.com/iframe/blisscom/peaceful-weekend-getaway-the-omega-institute/

• InterPlay “Earth Play” Weekend, Oakland California

            Interplay uses improvisation as a spiritual practice and as a tool for social change. Cultivate more joy and play in your life     through Interplay’s Body Wisdom Techniques:

http://www.interplay.org/index.cfm/go/events:event/happening_id/1659/

• A spread of articles on retreats and blissful getaways from Bliss.Com:

http://retreats.bliss.com/

• Las Piramides is a Spiritual Retreat Center on the shores of Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. I  spent a  month there and personally recommend it!
  

http://www.laspiramidesdelka.com/

5 Things about …

5 Things about me; the question is, do you really want to know?

1. I get nervous and insecure at times, and as a result, I feel like I have to do things perfectly. I know this is silly, and I have a pretty good handle on this piece of emotional baggage, but I said I would use full disclosure. I watch myself come up against the self-destructive demon when I do things such as bear my soul on a blog.  It comes up other places too, but my fear of revealing myself to others is always ready to peak out from the darkness right before I press “publish”.
2. I love dancing barefoot. In fact, I don’t think there is any other activity I would rather do in any given moment. Unless it’s freezing outside or I am starving and need to eat, one can assume that I would rather be outside, barefoot and dancing.
3. When I was young, I used to stay up until 1 AM reading Nancy Drew books. I would use a flashlight so I didn’t have to turn on the lights and risk waking my parents.
4. Growing up, I wanted to be the first woman president of United States. Part of me still does, which is ironic because the other part of me wants to live a simple life in the mountains and dance barefoot every day. I don’t think they allow barefooted, free-spirited, dancing in the white house.
5. I am loving being single. I have had a lot of boyfriends in the past.  Now I am single and not to bummed about it. I used to play “husband and wife” with my care bears as a young girl, and all through college I was sure I just wanted to get married and have a family. Now, a relationship is the last thing on my mind. Well, it’s still on my mind, but I am relieved that I do not have someone else to worry about. I guess that’s the problem, I WORRY more when I am in relationship.  I am soaking up the ME-time! I’ve also gotten a lot pickier; there is no point to get involved unless they are worth it!

Layered within these 5 points of Anna,  you may be able to understand a bit more about how I work!

It’s a White Winter Lasagna

First things first, I must give complete credit to my mother, Beth, as this is her recipe. Well, I’m not sure the origin of white lasagna, but this recipe was passed on to me by my mama.

With that being said, I post it here in service of your famished belly. We are in the depth of a, cold, no-snow, January; I am getting invited to snow-gods parties where people are dancing to manifest a 32 degree temp and precipitation.  Unfortunately, the lack of snow is hurting certain local economies, but that’s out of our control. So if the only white stuff around this winter comes from a cow, then let it fall and melt and be devoured by all.With a Marie Antoinette attitude of apathy, I say “let them eat white lasagna!”

 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium white onion, medium dice
• 3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 pound red kale, washed, tough stems removed, and coarsely chopped (about 10 cups)
• 1 pound Swiss chard, washed, tough stems removed, and coarsely chopped (about 8 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups crème fraîche
• 1 (9-ounce) box no-boil lasagna noodles
• 1 pound fresh ricotta
• 2 cups finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 5 ounces)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 400ºF and arrange a rack in the middle. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When oil shimmers, add onion and garlic, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
2. Add cream and a few handfuls of greens and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly wilted. Continue adding greens a little at a time until all are slightly wilted. Cook, stirring occasionally, until greens are tender, completely wilted, and coated in cream, about 10 minutes. Season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper and remove from heat.
3. Spread 1 cup of the crème fraîche evenly over the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Cover with a layer of 4 noodles, allowing them to overlap slightly. Using a slotted spoon, scoop 1/3 of the greens mixture from the cream and evenly spread over the noodles, then cover with 1/3 of the ricotta and 1/4 of the Parmesan. Repeat to make two more layers, and end with a final layer of noodles on top. Evenly pour 1/4 cup of the cream over the noodles. Mix together remaining crème fraîche and Parmesan and spread evenly over top.
4. Cover the lasagne with foil and bake until bubbling and starting to brown, about 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake until top is browned completely and sauce is bubbling, about 10 minutes more. Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Glitter Shoes

So I decided to Be-DAZZLE my booties! I can’t help but hear Kesha’s lyric in my mind: “Throw some glitter make it rain!”  Although a popular dance-hall hit always inspires glittered attire for me, my desire for a creative endeavor has deeper roots.

A book I keep close at hand influenced me to believe that people, especially women, need creative outlets where they can direct their natural urge to create. After all, women are the incubators of life, the ultimate “creative assistant to the director”.  In her book, Women Who Run With the Wolves, Clarissa Pinkola Estes uses a Jungian lens and Joseph Campbell’s theories on myths to map the dynamic psyche of the female.

Drawing from her experience as a therapist, Estes notices the stagnant, depressive state many women find themselves in. She recalls how many of these women speak of hobbies and passions they have long given up in pursuit of a life that has now left them wanting more. Estes answer: pick up that sewing machine, go to that dance class, nurture that long lost idea of a novel. Whatever it may be that makes you tick, do that. It doesn’t matter if you become an expert, get paid, or are deemed “good” by an outside source. Do it anyway because it feeds a simmering flame inside you. Once you feed the flame of passion it becomes a fire, and the feeling of renewal will be upon you!

mystifying photography of Sarah Ann Loreth

I want to give a shout out to all the women out there who are feeding their creativity and practicing what they love! I was inspired yesterday by one such woman, a blogger named Elsie Larson. She wrote a post about bedazzling her own shoes, and I was moved to get in touch with my inner crafter. Thanks to Elsie’s blog, I turned out some not so ruby slippers that are going to be fabulous on the dance floor! I am getting ready to embark on Jam Cruise 10, and these shoes will be perfect for the themed costume nights. I will surely wear them outside of costume party environment as well; they’re perfect for a gray day when I need some shine in my life!

from beige to beautiful

I used a heavy duty textile/fabric glue and a paint brush to spread the glue. After spreading glue on a small section of shoe, I simply sprinkled the rainbow glitter (basic crafting glitter) on top. Shake off and save the excess glitter, then repeat the process until the entire shoe is covered. Lastly, I sprayed the shoe with a clear, matte adhesive-finish to ensure extra protection! You might want to glitter outside, and be prepared for glitter to be everywhere. Whenever I play with glitter, it’s always turning up in the most random places for weeks!

Growing up I always felt less than when it came to art class. I understand now that I do not have to be the best crafter EVER. Crafting at my own level is one small victory! I certainly felt an exciting whirl of accomplishment after I finished my shoe project. It’s amazing how a little art can shift my perspective and re-spark-LE my fire! How do you nurture your creative side?

So excited to wear them after they've had a good drying!

For A Finishing Touch

fabric glue, paint brush, loose rainbow glitter in an old spice jar

Fake Foliage is Faux Pas

I grew up in a family that has lots of dinner parties and celebratory events. One of the yearly gatherings is Christmas. Cracked crab and homemade chowder for 40!

Le Crabe (the crab), photographed without it's accomplice, butter sauce

Twas the Night Before Christmas

This year my sister and I took on the task of decorating the two long tables where we would all sit and be merry. Our mother innocently purchased some fake pine and holly from the store to get us started. My big sis vetoed the plastic plants at once and made sure that I would be ready to help her with decor when she arrived.

Future Event Decorator

She showed up with red and white poinsettias, eucalyptus branches,  garden shears, little pebbles, mini marshmallows, real cranberries, and candy canes in all sizes. She also brought glass jars and vases in all shapes and sizes. We had our work cut out for us.

No way were we going to half ass our commitment to the tables; we were going all out. We even picked cotoneaster lacteus (the bird berry bush) from the back yard & used the berries for their red & festive appeal.

To be Sprinkled Down the Table

Christmas Inspired Mason Jars

So the point of the story is: get creative, get crafty, say no to plastic plants, & use nature’s gifts to make dazzling decorations for your next soiree.

Table for 40

Moving towards 2012; Creating More of What’s Good!

With all this talk of resolutions floating around, I figured I should put down a few words on the topic. I think resolutions are about challenging oneself to grow and take action to create more health & happiness.

For me, self improvement and personal growth are not a once a year reflections, they daily practices. When December rolls to a close and the word resolution becomes the hot trend, it is time for me to really get honest with myself about where I’ve been, and where I’m going.

I like to look back on the year and not only focus on what I can improve, but on my achievements and things I did well. Sometimes motivation is born out of remembering positive changes I made the year before. On New Years Eve, I ask myself, “how have I grown?”

If I say to myself, “wow, I did Cross Fit for 6 months, it was awesome and I felt amazing”, then I will want to re-create that positive feeling the next year. Positive coming from positive. If I say, “wow, I didn’t really keep up with my long distance cardio or clean up my diet in the way I wanted to”, then I am creating a negative feeling of guilt.

My point is, like attracts like. Ever read The Secret? It boils down to the law of attraction. I want to focus on what worked, what I was happy with, and create more of that. There is still worth in acknowledging the areas where I didn’t step up to the plate, but I try not to feed guilt and shame to my shortcomings. My attitude will directly affect my action! Here’s to a bountiful, joyful, and transformational 2012.

Here is a photo from a performance I was in this past summer. I was so happy to have the opportunity to make dance and perform outside under the magnificent pines of Lake Tahoe. If there is anything I want to create more of, it’s this: choreography, collaboration, performance, and a check at the end:) I don’t really care about the money, but, when you are a no-name artist doing what you love, it is AWESOME when someone hands you a check at the end!

Sun Song w/Emily Tessmer, Nora Beauchamp, and Marissa Mignone @Trails and Vistas 2011

P.S. Long distance cardio (running) is still on the resolution list

The Ity Bity Things That Make Me

Dr. Seuss said, “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”

What makes you, you?  What makes me? As the new year approaches, I am called to reflect on where I have been and where I am going. Here’s a list of “ity” words that call my attention. How can I relate myself to each word?

serenity, simplicity, creativity, accountability, vulnerability, responsibility, fragility, mobility, flexibility, spirituality, sustainability, longevity, generosity, adaptability, fluidity, approachability, capability, reliability…

How do I live up to these adjectives? What do each of these words mean to me & why are they important? These are questions I want to answer for myself in the new year! One things for sure, no one is you, and no one will relate to these words quite like you do!