Contemplating Paradise

After a nice vacation to Boca Raton, some promising weather of summer ahead and recent new of Maho Bay closing, all I can think of is white beaches, blue skies, clear water, sunshine and green, green life. This shores up next to a vision, notion or experience of what I like to call paradise. Whether or not your own paradise is lush, warm, bright and breezy I think most of us can appreciate this sense of vastness. Something about being by the water and under the sky brings on a certain sense of freedom, joy and vigor. Since my vacation in Boca Raton was filled with beach days, long walks, yoga, eating and drinking out, more long walks, I found a lot of time to turn inward and be quiet. The serenity and calm that go along with this rejuvenation is what I see when I look at pictures of Paradise.

So a few yoga photos from the beach... These are for you, MOM! She isn't on Facebook so she hears/sees these things second hand on a smartphone at work, it's just not the same.

And here is a memory of my first paradise, Maho Bay, St John, USVI. After a family vacation in my middle school years introduced me to this particular Slice of Life, I was hooked. The eco-friendly campground offers screened in bungalows connected by miles of boardwalk amidst the natural beauty of St. Johns hillsides; seriously , this is one of the most beautiful places I have ever experienced. After I graduated from high school, my best friend Laura and I both decided to take a year off. In September we flew to the Virgin Islands to volunteer at Maho in their work exchange program. We would do laundry, clean cabins, plunge toilets, pressure wash boardwalks for about 4 hours a day in exchange for a cabin for two. We were 18 years old.

I could go on for another 17 pages but I think I'll save it for my memoir... The most memorable times were spent on the beach enjoying the pure bliss of such a small piece of paradise which has now been sold for close to $14 million. Phew, that feels good to get off my chest, something I will continue to sit with for a long time. Contemplating Paradise.... To wrap things up with Maho I thank you for the skills I probably wouldn't learn anywhere else: hitch hiking, drinking warm rum, living on an island, windsurfing on the ocean, and loving every bit of every thing every where.


















In my life today, I'm spending time in the garden and planting seeds, my favorite thing to do this time of year. The newest to pop up are arugula, basil and thyme. I've also started some tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and various flowers scattered around my tiny lawn and porch.

Yoga continues to thrive in my life, thankfully. I teach ten classes a week at the studio now, which is proving very fun and exciting every day. Students are so inspiring, and as a self-proclaimed "inspired student" it feels very right to be spending lots of time in the studio. And I'm heading off to class in just a minute so I'll finish things off there. Simply trying to fill my life each day with whatever comes my way.

Don't eat more than you can carry.
~Miss Piggy

Feeling like I belong...

The days have been flying by like they're in a hurry to get away from me or something. But every day that I spend here I love it more and more. The sunshine helps a lot, but also the endless amount of beauty; palm trees, ocean, restaurants, music. Don't get me wrong, the bums love it here too. Yesterday Anna and I walked around Ocean Beach. I think this was the most highly concentrated amount of bums I've seen since I got here, it reminded me a lot of Burlington just in the wrong corner of the country. More cute shops, a few head shops and a lovely fishing pier. While it wasn't another bikini day, it was yet again an afternoon filled with perfection.

My first beach day was back on Sunday... Anna went into work at noon after we spent the morning at the Hillcrest Farmers Market, which was full of free samples; juicy oranges, award winning cheese, avocado and olive oils, YUM. I had a sandwich called the California Love, which I saved half of for my afternoon at the beach. We circled the market a minimum of three times, finding new places to stop each time and indulging in the goodness California locals have to offer. After dropping Anna off at work (she works in the Kate Spade store at Fashion Valley, an immense outdoor mall with lots to choose from!) I ventured out to Mission Beach on my own. Lucky enough to have a car at my disposal, I only got lost a couple times because of some missed turns. The beach was beautiful and poppin off with activity! I was happy not to be the only one braving the January weather in a bikini :)

After the beach, I made my way back to the mall and spent the evening walking around the shops. Anna met me after work for dinner at the California Pizza Kitchen. Monday was Anna's day off so we went to the island of Coronado... I didn't really know what to expect besides a California resort town, but it was much more charming than I could have imagined. Anna likened it to visiting Cape Cod in the summer, if it wasn't so crowded and filled with New Englanders. The Hotel del Coronado blew my mind.... We went inside the lobby and explored the grounds, but skipped over the $14 drinks. Coronado is a place I could visit for a week, but we were lucky enough to spend the whole day shopping and sunning and just being cool. Topping off the night the the Coronado Brewing Co for a happy hour pitcher of beer and nachos for dinner.

Tuesday was spent at the zoo for me! While Anna was at class, I was a kid in a candy store... I could write about the zoo forever, I could go on and on, but I'm going to save that for another space and just show off some quick photos. And to anyone who said the zoo was overrated, YOU ARE WRONG, the zoo was amaaaazing.

Phewf. This is really why I need to update this every day, I'm exhausted after a three day update. After my big day at the zoo I met Anna for happy hour at a swanky rooftop restaurant with views of the whole city. My time here has been spent in such company and I'm loving every minute of it. Yesterday was the day spent at Ocean Beach, so that's what life is like out here for me. Sunshine, beaches, shopping, drinks and friends! It's no wonder I like it here so much... Today my plans remain open. Anna is at class until 3 so I may investigate the trolley tours that run around the city, or just take a walk in the park soaking up some more rays. The forecast looks warmer for the next few days (!!!) and sunny, so I'm hoping for at least one more good beach day while I'm here. And tomorrow we begin our mini-road trip with concerts Fri and Sat night... So I better take it easy today whatever I do, big party weekend ahead!