Exhausted. Frustrated. Complacent. After a very productive Friday afternoon meeting, it was time to let go of the week and to embrace the weekend. And while I was about to revert to old tendencies, my very smart husband called me out on my behavior and . . . → Read More: a change of routine: a PIP weekend in review]]> On Friday, I felt the same way Grady did:

Exhausted. Frustrated. Complacent. After a very productive Friday afternoon meeting, it was time to let go of the week and to embrace the weekend. And while I was about to revert to old tendencies, my very smart husband called me out on my behavior and said “meet me at Johnny Mango for dinner”. I was happy to not make a decision and I snagged a spot on one of my favorite patios in Cleveland.

We ordered our usuals: an order of the #6 Nachos to split:

A large Johnny’s Calypso Salad for me:

And the steak burrito solo plate for Hans:

…with the appropriate adult beverages. And a calm hour or so while sitting along side Fulton Road sparked what would be a weekend filled of exactly what I needed.

Post dinner, we headed to Wine & Design in Tremont where we happily stumbled into a $5 wine tasting, friendly faces Greg & Dan, and their resident pup:

…and the monthly Tremont Art Walk. We spent the next hour or so wandering Professor Avenue, in and out of various shops including Lilly Handmade Chocolates.

While those truffles were devine, go and buy a Chomp Monster Bar ASAP: Dark chocolate, black mission figs and salty almonds. I don’t know if it gets any better.

A much needed Saturday morning to myself meant spoiling myself a bit: an eyebrow arch at 9AM, a pedicure at 10AM and a picnic with old friends in the early afternoon. As the crew played volleyball, Grady and I relaxed in the glorious sun. And after a quick pup walk, it was time to glam up for a night out on the town with Jen from WhyCLE?, Kimberly from SMITTEN…in Cleveland and her husband Chris.

I can’t tell you the last time I wore heels. I felt like Eliza Doolittle. After happy hour at Pier W, we headed to Fashion Week Cleveland’s black tie gala at the Halle Building downtown.

After seeing our girl Nidhi rock the runway and meeting the wonderful Dina, we found some bubbly and friends on Market Avenue in Ohio City. The last time I went to bed after 1AM? Couldn’t tell ya, but it was totally worth it.

Sunday morning, I did one of my favorite things: making breakfast for Hans. He requested pancakes, but I was in the mood to make French toast: served with Ohio maple syrup and raspberries on the side.

Considering that plate was gone in a matter of minutes, I don’t think he minded the daily special.

As it was Mother’s Day, I treated mine to some of her favorite things. As I knew it was right up her alley, I made my second appearance at Wine & Design for the weekend:

…where my mom considered moving in and Greg thought I was officially stalking him.

With just enough time, we made it to Ohio City for Near West Theatre’s production of Ragtime. I recognized several familiar faces from my years of performing, but was most proud of fellow blogger Sara. The production was spectacular and I highly encourage you to check it out. Tickets are only $8 – what a bargain – and the show runs through May 20th.

Post theatre, we came home to find a Mother’s Day dinner prepared by Hans: steaks and pork chops from Pinzone’s were exactly what our bellies needed. With my mom, brother, husband and dog around me, it was the perfect ending to what turned out to be the perfect weekend.

LONG STORY SHORT: I looked at Hans on Sunday and said, “I feel like time traveled back to 2007 this weekend.” What I remember about that time in particular is feeling extremely happy in my adult life. Enjoying my hometown with my friends, my family and my husband. Being able to just go with the flow.  Stepping out of my recent routine was much needed, and put me in a place where I’m ready to take on a new week. Let’s see where this one takes me…

I previously worked for the Arthritis Foundation as . . . → Read More: 18th annual Cleveland Magazine Silver Spoon Awards Party: food selections & ticket discounts!]]> If you’re looking for a party during the month of May, there’s one happening on any day of the week during the height of non-profit benefit season. But the one that holds a soft spot in my heart is the Cleveland Magazine Silver Spoon Awards Party:

I previously worked for the Arthritis Foundation as a Director of Special Events. My duties included planning this annual event which benefits the Foundation and other fundraising activities for the chapter. Also during my tenure, I raised funds for the organization as a member of their Joints in Motion training program and running the Walt Disney World half marathon in 2011. Arthritis has severely affected my family over the years, so while I’ve moved on to other event planning shenanigans, I’ve remained engaged with this cause by serving as a planning committee member of this event.

This year’s – taking place on Wednesday, May 23rd at the Cleveland Marriott Downtown – is looking to be another good one so you gotta buy your tickets now!

(snagged the May 2012 magazine cover from Heather, who got it from Alexa, who got it from Kimberly!)

TICKET DISCOUNT FOR POISE IN PARMA READERS:
The planning committee wanted to extend another opportunity for Clevelanders to take advantage of the presage ticket pricing by offering you kind readers this promotion:

• Save $15 off General Admission tickets by using the code “PIPBLOG 2012 GA” – get your ticket for just $70!
• Save $50 off VIP tickets by using the code “PIPBLOG 2012 VIP” – get your ticket for just $100!!

Trust me kids, it’s worth the buy: purchase tickets here at the Cleveland Magazine website.

While there’s plenty to keep you engaged at the party, we all know what the star is: THE FOOD! And with my inside scoop, here’s what each restaurant has in store for 2012:

Aladdin’s Eatery: Hummus, tabouh, and pita bread
Anatolia Café: chef’s choice
Angelo’s Pizza: 3 house speciality pizzas
Bac: green papaya salad, bacon guacamole, and wanton crisps
Blue Canyon: sushi snow cones
Blue Point Grille: point oysters with a selection of sauces
Bubba’s Q: mini deboned rib sands, pulled pork
Buckeye Beer Engine: aiolo slider burgers, buckeye brewing beer samples
Chinato: confit of Miller Livestock’s pork with spring vegetables
Dante Restaurant: pepper crusted duck, roasted plums, rosemary and balsamic
Deagan’s Kitchen and Bar: candied fig crostini with lake erie creamery goat cheese, chevre, toasted pepitas, and black tuffle honey
Gamekeepers Tavern: bison ribs with a huckleberry BBQ sauce
Geraci’s Restaurant: pizza
Great Lakes Brewing Company: GLBC’s signature bread pudding; also a variety of GLBC beer (only in the VIP Lounge)
Greek Village Grille: tyropita, spaovakopita, gyropita,dolmades, baklava, other greek pastries, phyllo cups with various dips
Jammy Buggars: Restaurant and Pub panini pressed grilled cheese, served with pickle and chips
L’Albatros Brasserie & Bar: seafood cioppino over white bean hummus
Lolita: chef’s choice (only in the VIP Lounge)
Lucky’s Café: mini reuben (only in the VIP Lounge)
Mallorca: shrimp in oarlic and paella
Melt Bar and Grilled: one of their signature speciality soups
Noodlecat: veggie steam buns (only in the VIP Lounge)
Pacific East Coventry: Sushi
Paladar Latin Kitchen and Rum Bar: chef’s choice
Pearl of The Orient: Crabmeat salad with seaweed dressing
Pier W: lavender marinated diver scallops. Quinoa salad. Petite herbs
Rozi’s Wine House and Front Porch Café: Beer and Wine
Shinto Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar: Traditional & maki rolls and speciality sushi rolls
Sweet Melissa: petit fours, vegan/gf chocolate mini cupcakes, key lime pie shooters, and cheesecake bites
Ty Fun Thai Bistro: pad thai chicken and pad thai moa vegetarian
Umami Moto: chef’s choice

Hopefully you’ll swing by the VIP Lounge at the party: my mom, PIP Aunty Kathy and I will be there as your happy hosts. We’ll be awaiting you with signature cocktails and organic vodka tastings – how could you not come and visit us?! So save the evening of Wednesday, May 23rd and join us for a good cause. Buy your ticket today – they’re going fast!!

Will I see you on May 23rd? Which restaurant’s food offering tempts your tastebuds the most? 

While the blogger’s away, the yogi shall play! I met Carla at the 2011 FitBloggin’ conference and was inspired by her drive and passion for the things that matter most to her. She’s one super cool lady and I can’t wait to . . . → Read More: my guest post on MizFitOnline: a practice of patience in the process of change]]> Hey hey, look at me – I’m guest posting today over at MizFitOnline!

While the blogger’s away, the yogi shall play! I met Carla at the 2011 FitBloggin’ conference and was inspired by her drive and passion for the things that matter most to her. She’s one super cool lady and I can’t wait to see her again in September at FitBloggin’ 2012.

Visit her site to read my post entitled a practice in the patience in the process of change. If you’re a regular around here, you won’t be surprised to see some zen thoughts over there…

p.s. still hoping to snag a pair of Cleveland Magazine Silver Spoon Awards tickets? Check out Alexa’s blog for a chance to win two general admission tickets!

NYNO (as I affectionally call it) opened its doors on Sunday, April . . . → Read More: event recap: Nishkama Yoga North Olmsted’s Grand Opening Fiesta]]> What happens when an event planner works for a yoga studio? That studio ends up throwing a lot more get togethers than its owners ever imagined possible. Case in point: the GRAND OPENING Community Day Fiesta this Saturday at Nishkama Yoga North Olmsted!

NYNO (as I affectionally call it) opened its doors on Sunday, April 1. As word spreads in the West side of Cleveland about its existence, we notice the numbers climb each week. After a month of working out the kinks, the Nishkama staff was ready to celebrate by offering FREE 45 minute classes every hour on the hour as a way to say “thank you” to our new community.

The morning started out with Yoga Basics with Melanie Tessmer:

…then Slow Flow with Ginny Walters…

That’s one happy yoga teacher!

…then Nishkama Vinyasa Flow with Robert Moreno. Can you spot the blogger?

Hint: her booty isn’t tooshed enough… damn tight hamstrings!

…and continued on with more classes throughout the afternoon taught by Nishkama teachers Lori, Kelly, Whitney, Marie and Bethany. Several folks – including some of my blogger friends – stayed around for more than one class to really get a feel of what Nishkama has to offer!

While I managed to sneak into Robert’s class that morning, I was mostly in the back half of the NYNO space prepping for our Cinco de Mayo inspired taco bar fiesta. And it isn’t a fiesta without a piñata! NY teacher Whitney created this awesome one in the shape of a sombrero filled with granola bars, fruit snacks and candy.

It was just too pretty, we couldn’t imagine busting it open! The piñata and the decorations put the perfect touches on the space which was furnished by Event Source, whom gets a shout out for sending the nicest delivery man to ever deliver folding tables and chairs.

Before the taco bar began, guests enjoyed goodies from Whole Foods Market Cedar Center. They provided this rockin’ fruit tray:

…plus an array of chips, salsa and guacamole. They were all a big hit with the yogis!

As for the taco bar, it was catered by yours truly (because I’ve officially lost my mind). Actually, it all came together pretty easily once I remembered this slow cooker chipotle chicken recipe that Allison from Green Dog Wine posted on her blog. Using it as inspiration, I ended up with the perfect protein option that was hardly any work and seemed to be pretty well received!

As another way to give back to the community that has supported us so much, we held a chance raffle to benefit the Cleveland APL.

Prizes included beauty products from Origins, a gift certificate to Momocho, yoga class passes, private yoga sessions and an unlimited year of yoga at our studios. Our modest raffle raised $252 for the APL that day! I’m excited to not only help out the APL in this small way, but I also get to contact the raffle winners today with the good news!

But the best part of the day was seeing so many friends – both old and new – come out for the big celebration. Every class that day had a familiar face. Seeing others enjoy this thing we call yoga is what I’m living for these days. When I get to combine it with my other passion for event planning, I’m truly living the good life. Thank you all for the support you share with me to make this all a reality!

LONG STORY SHORT: More than 100 people came out on Saturday to get their downward dog on at Nishkama Yoga North Olmsted, making the day a huge success. If you’re interested to see even more photos from the day, visit Nishkama’s Facebook photo album. You’ll even find a badass pic of me in Warrior 1 over there! Again, so so many thanks to everyone whom came out to celebrate with us! Now let’s see if the owners will go for my latest idea for an event: who’s down for a Saturday night yoga dance party…

Nishkama Yoga North Olmsted’s GRAND OPENING Community Day Celebration Saturday, May 5 from 8:00AM to 4:00PM at Nishkama Yoga North Olmsted (on Lorain Road) FREE YOGA classes all day long! Chance raffles to . . . → Read More: May events for you to enjoy around Greater Cleveland]]> HEY CLEVELANDERS! We’ve got another busy month in store! May’s here and is ready to keep you very busy around Northeast Ohio…

Nishkama Yoga North Olmsted’s GRAND OPENING Community Day Celebration
Saturday, May 5 from 8:00AM to 4:00PM at Nishkama Yoga North Olmsted (on Lorain Road)
FREE YOGA classes all day long!
Chance raffles to win cool prizes with proceeds going to the Cleveland APL.
Class schedule and more info over at the Facebook event page.

2012 Cleveland Arthritis Walk

Saturday, May 5: walk starts at 9:00AM at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (3900 Wildlife Way in Cleveland)
Why? May is National Arthritis Month: “The Arthritis Walk is the Arthritis Foundation’s annual nationwide signature event that raises funds and awareness to fight arthritis, the nation’s most common cause of disability.”
More info at the Arthritis Kintera page.

The Zella Day of Movement Fitness Event
(source)
Saturday, May 5 at 10AM at Nordstrom Beachwood Place (26200 Cedar Road in Beachwood)
Check out the new fitness fashions – there’s a free gift if you spend $40!
Visit their event site for more information and to RSVP.

BikeCLE presents Nishkama Yoga Bike To Yoga Events

Dates for the month of May:

• Monday, May 7: 6PM starting at Rocky River Nature Center in North Olmsted
• Monday, May 14: 6PM starting at Emerald Necklace Marina in Lakewood
• Monday, May 21: 10AM starting at Rocky River Nature Center in North Olmsted

Bike a little, yoga for a while, then bike some more!!
PROMO CODE ALERT! Save $10 by entering “Nish12” at checkout!!
Register at http://www.gltc.eventbrite.com/.

Blondes vs. Brunettes CLE After Hours Happy Hour
Thursday, May 10 at 6PM at The Boneyard (101 E. Royalton Road in Broadview Heights)
Support the Alzheimer’s Association with all you can eat and drink for only $25!
More info over at the Facebook event page.

The Hooley on Kamm’s Corners™ 2012
Saturday, May 12 from 12PM to 8PM on Lorain Avenue between Rocky River Drive & West 165th Street
What’s a Hooley? “‘Hooley’ is Irish slang for party or celebration. This is Kamm’s Corners’ annual neighborhood street festival featuring live music, great food, informative booths, and children’s activities.”
More info at the Facebook event page.

PlayhouseSquare Partners Presents Bartending for Buses
Thursday, May 17 at 7PM at Around The Corner in Lakewood
Why?! Because it’s for the kids!! “All tips will go towards the Bus Fund, providing buses for school children and allowing them to visit PlayhouseSquare.”
RSVP at the Facebook event page.

Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon Weekend

Friday, May 18 through Sunday, May 20 - Race “HQ” is Cleveland Browns Stadium
There’s a kids’ fun run, a 5K, a 10K, a half marathon, a full marathon, volunteer opportunities – something for everyone!!
Register to run or volunteer, or simply get more info at http://www.clevelandmarathon.com/.

18th Annual Cleveland Magazine Silver Spoon Awards Party

Wednesday, May 23 from 6PM to 9PM at Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Center
Cleveland’s best restaurants, lots of food and wine, plenty of silent auction items: it’s the best event in town! (Yes, I’m biased but you should go anyways!)
WIN TICKETS THIS WEEK! My favorite fashionista SMITTEN…in Cleveland is giving away a pair of tickets over at her blog!
More info on the event over at the Cleveland Magazine site.

Emerging Chefs Presents Snout to Tail
Thursday, May 24 from 6PM to 9PM at Dunham Tavern & Museum (6709 Euclid Ave in Cleveland)
It’s been touted as an “urban pig roast”, so you rural vegetarians might want to skip this one!
Purchase tickets at http://emergingchefs2012-3.eventbrite.com/.

So no complaining that you have nothing to do! What are you looking forward to during the month of May?

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With all this yoga-ing going on, you may have forgotten that I’m registered for . . . → Read More: the PIP/CIC game plan for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon 5K]]> A MEMO FROM THE CEO OF PIP: I’m so honored to have my “success story” be featured over at Healthy Tipping Point today! A huge thanks to Caitlin for including me and my crazy journey through my recent “adult sabbatical”!

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With all this yoga-ing going on, you may have forgotten that I’m registered for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon 5K.

Boy, I haven’t. I used to be the cardio queen!! What has happened to me?! Okay, we all know the answer to that…

As the weather continues to warm up, I get so excited to see all the tweets and Facebook status of people PRing and running their first 5Ks. But I also found myself getting a bit bummed that I wasn’t doing the same. So I did what another other twenty-something female would do. I complained to one of my good friends – one that also happens to be signed up for the same race.

Amanda from Clue Into Cleveland and I were walking out to our cars after the Emerging Chefs event, discussing how busy this Spring has been. I thought I had a packed calendar until she shared her non-stop schedule. With so much going on, she too was having trouble finding time to sneak in cardio workouts to prepare her for the May 19th 5K.

So together, two time crunched bloggers made a pact. What could they do when they had crazy schedules, many commitments and a looming 5K? They let go of their expectations and opt for a fun run!

I remember running the 2010 Race for the Cure and feeling like I was taking a tour of downtown Cleveland as I did my best to jog the entire 3.1 miles. While running, I had a blast enjoying my hometown on foot – running by the sporting venues, the skyscrapers, my favorite hot spots. Why not do it again, but this time with a friend?

The 5K course starts and ends at Cleveland Browns Stadium. We’re both concerned about that uphill start on West 3rd but are already looking forward to the downhill finish ℅ East 9th Street. Amanda does have a time goal in mind which is the reason while I’ll still plan to wear my Garmin. That said, we’ve already promised one another that we’ll run as much as we can, but if we need a walk break, we’ll take one. And no matter what, we’ll end together on the field at Browns Stadium as our husbands cheers us on from the stands (& grateful that we didn’t make them run it with us!!) I haven’t run a 5K with someone other than Hans, so I’m really looking forward to having this experience with her!

Speaking of other runner friends, Christian over at Training 4 Autism – Cleveland Style is hooking us up to run the 5K in style with Run For Autism singlets. Not only is he running the 5K on Saturday the 19th, he’s also running the marathon on Sunday the 20th! He’s doing it for more than just his love for running – he’s the Cleveland chapter president of Train for Autism. He’s an amazing advocate for the cause – and one hell of a guy and dad. If you have a few bucks to spare, maybe you’d consider supporting him and his son Cal by donating at his T4A fundraising site. At the very least, check out his recent post on remembering why he’s running the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon. It’s a great read.

So we have a strategy planned, our race day attire picked out and our expectations set. Next step? Get my yoga booty on a cardio machine to prep for race day! May 19th, here we come!

How have you adjusted your expectations to reach your goals?

Disclosure: This post is part of my participation in the 2012 Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon blogging series. Read my disclosure here.

The spring planting always portends to a crisp summer bounty. Join Emerging Chefs and Chef Jeff Jarrett of AMP 150 as we celebrate the planting of AMP 150’s garden with a sweet collection of cuisine inspired . . . → Read More: event recap: Emerging Chefs’ Garden Party at AMP 150]]> On Wednesday, April 18th, I headed to another Cleveland West side favorite of mine for the Emerging Chefs event, Garden Party:

The spring planting always portends to a crisp summer bounty. Join Emerging Chefs and Chef Jeff Jarrett of AMP 150 as we celebrate the planting of AMP 150’s garden with a sweet collection of cuisine inspired by the carnival of a Garden Party. This is sure to be an extraordinary offering of fresh, local food with Chef Jarrett’s creative twist.

BEFORE I CONTINUE: Last weekend at teacher training (yes, yoga is everywhere nowadays), we taught our first sun salutations. As we each took our turn, we were encourage to share our feedback via a positive comment, then a comment for improvement, and then another positive comment; also known as the PIP method of evaluation – you knew I was all over that!! As I think about my thoughts on this event, this evaluation system seems to be the right way to do so…

A POSITIVE: THE FOOD: I’ve been to several of Emerging Chefs events in the past year so I admit my expectation for the quality of the food is high. The offerings at this Garden Party definitely met my foodie expectations.

The evening started with Chef Melissa Khoury’s teaser to her upcoming May 24th Emerging Chefs event, Snout to Tail. Her “mystery meat” (our words, not hers) board included dry-cured pork loin, pork rillette and a fennel mustard mortadella. It was a happy sight to us very hungry diners.

The first course was a Spring Pea Soup with ramp creme fraise and lemon oil:

This was good. REALLY good. Once placed in front of the diners at my table, I finished my portion before some people were even done taking notes on the dish. It was super smooth, uber flavorful and served at a lovely chilled temperature. When the broth was combined with the creme fraise and the lemon oil, it made for a miraculous spring filled slurp. I thought about requesting another bowl for dessert.

The second course was a Mushroom Mousse with fennel cherry compote and grilled artisan bread:

Made in the style of their chicken liver pate, it featured mushrooms from Killbuck Valley Mushrooms and fennel from The Chef’s Garden. The mousse was rich and silky. You definitely could get the “chicken liver pate” style in every bite. The mushrooms weren’t over powering because they were balanced so well with the fennel/cherry compote. Again, I had to restrain myself from licking my plate.

The third course was a Goat Cheese Gnocchi with pork belly croutons, shaved asparagus, drunken fig jam and pepper cress:

Featuring goat cheese from Lake Erie Creamery, I suggest you head over to Brad’s blog for a proper description on how this tasted.

The fourth course was a sous vide lamb loin with farro, peas, cauliflower and truffle:

My portion was without the farro/pea offering, but the lamb loin was enough for me. This may be my new favorite prep for this protein as my portion was at a perfect medium rare. The addition of sitar gave the lamb a nice spice and boost of flavor. I savored every bite thinking of how much Hans would have enjoyed it as well.

The last course was a baked apple barley pudding with cinnamon tuile and Snowville Creamery anglaise:

For gluten reasons, I passed on this dessert, but it was getting rave reviews from the other diners at the table. I loved the use of barley as the grain by Chef Jarrett. Points for creativity indeed!

TWO COMMENTS FOR IMPROVEMENT:
What I did notice immediately was the lack of the Garden Party theme in the visual non-food aspects of the event. This event producing group is known for taking a blank canvas of a location and transform it into something special – to so much more that its original being. When I heard we’d be “celebrating the garden”, I had a hope that perhaps we’d be outside under a tent next to the Marriott’s garden where AMP 150 grows its own produce. Perhaps there would be a planting ceremony or a harvesting… I had brainstormed all these crazy ideas. Perhaps I should blame myself for building up a grandiose idea of what I was getting into. Instead, it felt like I was dining in the AMP 150 dining room – like I could do on any other night. It’s something I normally have no issue with, but for a special event, was a point to note.

On another note for improvement: Not only do you expect high quality food at an Emerging Chefs event, they’ve also set an expectation for a large volume of adult beverages. Like one of my fellow diners, I wasn’t planning on drinking that evening so it wasn’t a big to-do for me. However I heard several comments from around the dining room from others that they were disappointed with the lack of drink pairings and the cash bar. I don’t know what happened behind the scenes but it was a noticeable subtraction from the usual.

THE POSITIVE: THE SERVICE: What really made this event shine for me was the human component as the people engaged with this event made its dishes soar.

First, the service staff at AMP 150 worked their behinds off that night. Not only did they serve the folks attending the EC event, the restaurant was open to the public and was busy. As they passed by our table located near the kitchen, I could see some faces of exhaustion fade away as they put on their game faces. It’s not easy to hold composure in a busy dining room so I give them all kudos. A familiar face – Stephanie – also took wonderful care of our table that evening, so I owe her a thank you for her kindness and attentiveness.

Secondly, Jeremy Lisy of KJ Greens was on hand to share his vast knowledge of growing these veggies that were featured in the above dishes. We learned a plethora of information. Did you know that peas are traditionally planted on St. Patrick’s Day? Or that ramps are only available for four weeks of the year, that their growing period is ten to fifteen years, and that you shouldn’t take an entire clump of ramps when you find them? Save some for your other NEO foodie friends!

But most importantly, Chef Jeff Jarrett deserves a gold medal. Not only did the man lead his team through an evening filled with a busy dining room, he took the time to connect with the guests individually in a variety of ways. For most, this meant visiting their tables to answer questions throughout the evening. But for me, he surprised me with some additional care. For this gluten free girl, he subbed me AMP 150’s Broccolini for the gnocchi course…

…and a fruit plate for the dessert course. Chef Jarrett even mentioned to me when he looked at the guest list and saw my name, he remembered my gluten intolerance and made a mental note to do his best to accommodate my dining needs during the event. Seriously?! I would have barely remembered what I was serving that evening, but he took the time to make sure every.single.diner was content. This little thing solidified that not only is he an excellent chef, he’s one hell of a guy. Rock on, Chef.

LONG STORY SHORT: Sure, there was no booze or a ridiculous tent set up outside, but the Garden Party still celebrated all that planting and hard work can bring. I was very happy to attend this event surrounded by good people that reminded me to let go of expectations and embrace the goodness in front of me. An evening filled of tasty food and great people – I’ll take any night of the week.

Disclosure: I was provided a media pass to the Emerging Chefs’ Garden Party event. As always, my thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Three years ago today, I stepped into the Nishkama Yoga studio in Independence and took my first studio class with Jennette Zimmerman. She recently returned to teach on Thursday mornings but I haven’t had many chances to take class with her. But today, the . . . → Read More: Eka Pada Raja-what??? (or when my head touched my foot)]]> This morning, I received an email from a familiar place:

Three years ago today, I stepped into the Nishkama Yoga studio in Independence and took my first studio class with Jennette Zimmerman. She recently returned to teach on Thursday mornings but I haven’t had many chances to take class with her. But today, the Universe happened to clear my schedule. 75 sweaty minutes later, I’m feeling as energized after my very first class with her in 2009. To go along with today’s originally forgotten yoga anniversary, I had already planned to share a yoga post on a recent discovery on my mat.

Like my first yoga teacher training session in March, the April TT weekend was filled plenty of mental, physical and emotional experiences. They left me feeling drained but also filled with an intense energy and want to continue my learning. So on the Monday nights following a teacher training weekend, I practice with my teacher Laura at her vinyasa flow class. I like the opportunity to have the lessons from the weekend sink in via a physical practice the following day.

All day Monday, I questioned my decision to take her class that evening. Boy, I’m tired. Wow, my abs hurt. Wait, EVERYTHING hurts. Is this a good idea? But even with all that him-hawing, I was on my mat at 5:45 and ready to work. I did my best to fix my alignment in chair pose and the various twists we worked as they were a highlight of Sunday morning’s lesson. I was feeling strong – amazingly strong, considering how tuckered out I was earlier in the day. There was serious energy working in me that was taking me to some pretty cool places.

As it came time for the hip openers, Laura called out half pigeon pose, giving me the look of “don’t you dare start growling at me”. I’ve written and reminded you all about my distain for that pose, but in the past month, I’ve tried to be more open to it. No more growling. Minimal brow furrowing. More breathing. I’ve played around with arm placement as well as some twists in the pose which have made it less uncomfortable. I’m still not happy in it, but I’m learning to be more neutral than angry.

As I was starting to settle into my pigeon, Laura said “if you have Eka Pada Rajakapotasana in your practice, go there now”. Eka Pada Rajakapotasana, or for those of you not regularly speaking Sanskrit, One-Legged King Pigeon Pose, looks like this:

(photo source from yogajournal.com)

As I was trying my best to remember which pose she was referring to, Laura came over as she was going remind me by assisting me into it.

It’s important to note that there’s A LOT going on when you take this pose. So so so many areas of your body have to be open. I’ve seen others play with the prep of getting into it, but only seen a few in person make contact of the foot and head like in the above picture. But I knew I could at least bend my back knee up and reach back to start the learning process.

Laura gently guided my body into the proper alignment: shifting my hips level, guiding my arms into the appropriate location and helping me to grab onto my toes. While it started as a hip opener, she lead me to a backbend. With her supporting me, she said “add a backbend and look who likes pigeon!” The intense stretch felt amazing all over and I couldn’t help but smile at her comment.

As our body has two sides, we switched and I settled into my pigeon on my left side – which is the side that tends to be looser. Laura again did the same assists that she did on the other side but then asked me to drop my head back. And before I knew it, I felt something on my head. Which was also paired with feeing something touching the bottom of my foot. And in that moment I realized: my head was being cradled by my foot.

My awareness quickly shifted to my eyebrows as they rose in reaction to such surprise and I whispered the only thing that I could in that moment: “holy crap.” And after a breath, I said it again. But while I was nearly speechless, my mind was chattering away: My head is touching my foot! My head is touching my foot!

Laura held me and reminded me to breath and to stay in the pose. While I actively stayed strong to hold it, the energy seeping from my body was so tangible it made it so much easier. As I let go of the emotion of surprise, that energy lead me into a place of calm where I felt like I could have stayed there for the rest of the evening. Unfortunately, we had shavasana and a meditation still to get to, so that wasn’t an option.

As she guided me out of the pose, I was fully aware of what I had just experienced – in more than just the physical sense. To think that pose that I’ve growled my way through lead me to this moment of openness and awareness. To think of how that lesson applies off the mat: dealing with the not so great times to then rise up to a moment of greatness. In that pose, I felt like all my hard work from that class, that previous TT weekend and the past few months of progression off my mat was showing me just how far I’ve come.

But it wasn’t without help from others. And sometimes being open to allowing for that help is the hardest part. I’m always down for a good assist when I’m on the mat. But I still need to be reminded that it’s okay to ask for help when I’m off of it. To reach out when I’m feeling overwhelmed or lonely. I constantly talk about the practice of synergy: alone we can only do so much, but together we can do so much more. Maybe through some more assists to Eka Pada Rajakapotasana, not only will I be touching my head to my foot on a more regular basis, I’ll be doing even greater things in those times outside of the yoga studio.

Damn pigeon pose. Now look at what you’ve gotten me into…