A Wonderful Day

Since moving to the Bay Area six months ago, I get asked the same question all the time – how do you like it here?  While I think people sometimes seem surprised by my answer, I truly love it here.  The weather is wonderful, the landscape is gorgeous, there’s tons of delicious food, lots of culture and diversity, and of course, the love of my life.  The only things that are really missing are my friends and family.

While I’m slowly making new friends and have had some great “girl time” here, there’s nothing quite like the friend who gave you her white chocolate raspberry cheesecake while you were crying alone in bed on a Friday night in college (for goodness knows what reason); or the one who cleaned up your cuts and scrapes after slipping on some ice on the way home from a college party (I still blame the ice); or the one you shared a Manhattan apartment with, where the only thing dividing your kitchen and makeshift living room, was a sheer curtain.

Tales from the mat: Just Breathe (Class 1)

One of my fitness goals this year is to stick to a regular yoga practice.  Over the years I’ve gone to a handful of classes and have had a few very short spurts of going regularly but I still consider myself a beginner.  While I know the difference between Downward Dog and Child’s Pose, Downward Dog sure doesn’t feel like a “resting” pose to me.  Hello screaming arms and hamstrings.  I’ve got a long way to go.

As I prepared for this week’s Heated Vinyassa Flow Basics class at Just Breathe Yoga in Santa Clara, I felt like a bit of an impostor.  Dressed in my new (albeit clearance rack) Lululemon outfit I packed up my new Gaim yoga bag and thought to myself, “I really look like I know what I’m doing.”  The reality is, it’s much easier to bribe myself to go with fun stuff and new outfits.

Image from justbreatheyogarivermark.com

Off to a reasonably good start

After just ten days, I’m back down to my pre-holiday, five-pounds-lighter self.  Woo.  While five pounds in ten days is hardly epic, I’m happy to have accomplished this by simply trying to get my habits as back to normal as possible.  For the most part that involves avoiding lots of carbs and massive amounts of sugar as well as nightly walks after dinner.  That’s it.

sitting alone with a big plate of cookies

So, while I wasn’t flying planes with my fiance this weekend, I was actually trying to make some girl friends.  Like I said before, it’s tough planning a wedding when all of your closest female friends are 3,000 miles away.   That’s where the inaugural meeting for my newly formed Meetup group, Bay Area Brides to Be, comes in.

I got to Panera about 30 minutes early (because I’m way too early for everything I do),  purchased eight delicious looking cookies, selected three tables, set up some bridal magazines and waited…. Have you ever sat alone at a table with eight giant cookies and 15 bridal magazines?  It’s kind of awkward.

Will you be my friend?