Olive Juice

Happy to be home, sad to have left, feeling a sense of calm and collectiveness, feeling sore yoga legs and kayaking shoulders.

I returned this afternoon from my first visit at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, in the Berkshires. I went for 2 1/2 days, mid-week, as a happy-birthday-to-me retreat. The center offers a variety of workshops and training year long, but I went for an R+R personal retreat.

R+R visits are all inclusive: meals, workshops, classes, activities, and lodging. 

After careful consideration I chose dormitory lodging, knowing I’d be bunking beds with up to 19 other people, but was up for the challenge and it was the cheapest option. Alas, I came prepared with two sets of ear plugs and three variations of sleeping masks. To my surprise, I didn’t need them! Everyone was so impressively silent by 10pm each night – and since we were up by dawn, no light blocking mask was needed. 

The premises had everything you need, and surrounded by beautiful, lush mountains and serene Lake Mahkeenac. The food was also spectacular, largely  vegan/vegetarian cuisine.

I was lucky enough to hear that some of the chef’s recipes are available online, so allow me to spread the good word – http://www.kripalu.org/article/270. Try the Millet Cauliflower Mash!

For 2 nights check-in was Monday at 2:30, check out was by noon Wednesday (but you can stay the full day). The daily schedule is something like this: 6:30am yoga, breakfast, workshop (for chakras or Ayurveda health, for example), guided hike, lunch, yoga dance, guided kayaking, dinner, cooking class. One can partake in any, none, or all of the workshops/classes/activities. I spent half my day in those, and the other writing, meditating, sauna/whirlpool, or walking outdoor paths. I also learned my dosha is predominantly Pitta, that women vegetarians should consume anchovies and oysters to supplement their iron (I am not a vegetarian, but good to know!), and I really, really should steer clear of artificial sweeteners (no more diet pepsi!), will check out Stevia instead. Further nutritional reading recommendation was The China Study, by Dr. T. Colin Campbell.

I attempted to avoid technology, thus didn’t take any photos – but below is one I found to be quite capturing of our view – from Flickr user StephanK. All in all a great trip, but a few tips for next time: 1) people actual bring their laptops, not saying you should but it’s acceptable, 2) bring an extra pillow (for the dorm), 3) RSVP ASAP for kayaking trips, they are in serious demand (there’s a waiting list for the waiting list!).

Twice last month did I win from Fling It Girl and once from Kirtsy! What can creative-commenting get a girl? White tea, strawberry cupcakes from Lux Sugar, and two free passes to Lucky Shops in NYC!

If you haven’t checked out either of these sites, hop on over. Besides giveaways and competitions, both offer up-to-date resources for fashion finds, design, family matters, mind/body, technology and more. Sign up, submit links of your own and join the conversations!

We chose not the uber-spacious, “green” loft; not the fancypants Regency office with pool, hot tub, conference room access (although, if we weren’t heading into winter, perhaps a second look); we chose the quaint, smallish room on the fourth floor, no elevator, no parking, previously inhabited by a painter who left colorful marks strewed on our floor. And love it.

We have creativity and character, thus our space much reflect such. And draw in like people.Elsewhere in the building is a branding agency, architects, animators, and artists. Today, passing a door on the floor below a woman, hearing my footsteps (ok, loud too-high heels), burst from her room asking, “Would you like to see my pond?!” “Sure..” As we flipped threw polaroids from her 12 acre (really?) “pond” in the countryside. “I just found these, and I had to share with someone!” “They’re great, thanks for that!”, says I and continue, smirking, down the hall and she back through the door.

I look forward to meeting the rest of the 188 North Main St. residents in future months, and crankin’ DandyID style! Visit if you’re in the area.
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A typical bookstore visit isn’t an in-and-out task specific venture for me.It’s a 2-hour (min.) exploration, and concluding purchase – on most occasions anyway. The “new age” section found me once again, as I browsed through “Living in the Now”, ‘truth’ topics, Toltec prophecies, and the like. Coral Way’s Barnes and Noble was particularly crouded, with smiling faces, chatty friends, distracted husbands, dazed out workers, over-focused bookworms. Sweet. I’ve found my replacement for Providence Place Borders.

A 40-something, grinning man with a tan fishers hat and overly pocketed cargos peeked his head around the corner. “Hey there!” he says, eyebrows high, a chipper voice. I glanced up from my reading. “Oh…” says fisherman, “… I thought you were my friend”.

I smiled poiltely and say “Nope”, and glanced back to my book.

He chuckled and turn around… then turned back while walking away and cheerily shouts “Well maybe you could be!”. I look up again, snickered and glistened a grin in return, that remained my expression for several minutes following. Well said… next time I’ll hope my auto-responce will be something more mindful than “Nope”.

More people should have that attitude, wouldn’t you say?

Last minute there was a free ticket for Bonnaroo, the “jam band” 3-day music festival in Tennessee. I flew to DC to meet Rachel and Lauren. We drove to Tennessee, Manchester, took about 9.5 hours.

That was Wednesday, and we arrived to Manchester around 6pm, and joined the crouds in the Wallmart parking lot which is the hang out spot before Bonnaroo opens up. The camp let us in around 8pm and guided everyone to grassy fields to park and set up camp. Youre tighly packed in there, however a white car stalled and caught fire right next to us which resulted in our acquisition of a front yard.Oh, nobody got hurt.

Well maybe the parking attendent who then got sparked with a firework set off from the distance. Nah, he was fine.

Neighbor: Dirk Reynods, Ohio (read: Idaho?)
Soy Bean Farmer

Quite mid-west cliche; I got a kick out of hearing of corn detasseling. Nice guy, shared his canopy with us, and also join me for the My Morning Jacket show which was my chief motivation to go to Bonnaroo. I wasn’t familiar with many of the other bands, although they all rocked. I did also know Tom Petty, Matisayu, Steal Pulse, Soullive but didn’t make the truck to see. Probably others too, look at the roster if you’re so concerned.

It was totally refreshing being there though. Great music, tons of people (about 90,000) all hippied out, loving eachother and loving life, caring less about their appearance for the most part. I was getting accustomed to the no showering, living out of a tent, and eating hotdogs 3 times a day lifestyle.