Image Credit – boston.com

Happy March everyone!  The beginning of a new month is always exciting for me.  There’s just something about seeing the number ‘1′ on the calendar.  In a sense, it gives me a fresh slate and resets the clock for me on all the things I can accomplish in one month.  To some, March can seem like a long month, being that there are 31 days and for most of March, it’s still winter with winter-like weather.  But, I like to think of March as the point where we’re moving towards the uphill side of things.  After all, in 20 days it will be the first day of spring, and spring to me signals the rebirth of Mother Nature.  Our days will get longer, the weather will get warmer, things will start appearing greener and flowers will begin to bloom.  So what’s there NOT to be excited about?  I wanted to dedicate this post to some of the things I am looking forward to (things happening in March and beyond) and things that just get me excited:

• Warmer weather! I’m getting rather sick of bundling up and can’t wait to just walk outside my door without having to worry about bringing my gloves
• Trying new recipes and making some inventive kitchen creations – I think you all can agree with me on that one!
• Longer days – Just being able to see the sun for a few minutes longer each day makes me smile.
• Yoga, yoga and more yoga – Check out Tina’s post about her yoga challenge.  I love reading about how more and more people are practicing yoga, loving yoga and making their practice a priority in their lives.
• March Madness – I like basketball, but my husband is obsessed loves it!  This is the month for NCAA mania and knowing that this is one of Patrick’s favorite times of the year, I’m excited for him.  Plus, his passion and zeal for this sport is contagious!
• The return of my car – After close to $2,000 worth of damages, she’s ready to come home!  All I can say is, thank goodness for insurance…
• Our existing projects (as well as some new ones) and the prospect of them launching and coming to fruition – More details on this soon to come…hopefully, very soon!

Image Credit – fishingforsoul.wordpress.com

What are some of the things you’re looking for to this month?  What are some of the things that get you excited?

Namasté,
Nicole

I really wish you could come to one of my yoga classes with me, especially yesterday morning’s class.  The class was taught by Daniel, a wonderful yoga teacher at the studio to which I belong who has recently taken his teaching to a whole new level.  To say that I look forward to each and every one of his classes would be a sheer understatement.  Daniel has this amazing way about him.  He’s upbeat, gentle, full of passion and his soft nature can make the grouchiest of people smile.  But, he can also teach a kickass class.  And yesterday’s class was exactly that.

Class started off pretty easy.  We did some breathing, moved onto some light stretching and then began flowing.  Within 15 minutes, the room become incredibly hot and I was starting to drip with sweat.  While we primarily focused on our hips and hamstrings yesterday, there was one series of stretches that blew my mind and nearly had me crying like a little baby.  I’m not sure if there were technical or sanskrit names for these poses (the word ‘insanity’ does comes to mind), but what I do know is that I felt every ounce of them.  Essentially, we did a series of quadriceps stretches with one leg bent and lunging forward, foot flat on the ground, and the other leg kneeling and bent backwards with the foot moving forwards.  It was supposed to look like this:

Image Credit – yogaplexus.com
(this is actually the teacher I talked about from this post)

Needless to say, these stretches were no cake walk.  In fact, I was in quite a bit of discomfort, if not pain.  We don’t usually do these stretches in class and therefore, my muscles were just not used to them.  As I was taking slow and deep breaths to calm my mind and to tell myself that I wasn’t in fact being tortured, my teacher chuckled and said, “the feeling you are experiencing right now is called enlightenment.”  While a good portion of us sort of laughed, most were still grimacing in distress.  Daniel went on to tell us that being able to find pleasure in pain and discomfort is what some would consider enlightenment.  To be able to find the beauty in what we so often see as disaster is how we transcend and grow as humans.  I thought about Daniel’s words for the rest of class and for the rest of the day.  What he told us in class made so much sense and really struck a nerve with me (HA!  I totally didn’t mean that one!).

Image Credit – chopra.com

As I looked back on my life, I tried to remember the times when I experienced the most pain, both emotional and physical.  Those times in my life certainly weren’t fun, and I certainly did not laugh as I was experiencing them.  But once I overcame the pain and worked through the severity in what I was feeling, I somehow felt better.  In a sense, I felt free.

I remember learning to ride my bike as a kid for the first time and how I constantly fell and got countless bumps and bruises.  It hurt and for awhile, I just didn’t want to ride.  I know think I may have even cursed my bike.  But soon enough, I learned how to ride without falling off and the bumps and bruises healed and were forgotten.  I also remember the pain of having my heart broken for the first time and how I never thought I would get over it.  Everything reminded me of him, and the thought of moving on just didn’t seem possible.  But as time passed, I did get over him and I did move on.  I also remember how I felt when I found out my parents were separating.  I never thought it could happen to me, and the realization that their story wasn’t going to be happily ever after, crushed me.  But seeing that they both are now in a better place and living happy and full lives brings me comfort, and makes me understand that things really do happen for a reason.  And when my grandmother passed away when I was 10 years-old, I discovered what grief was and what it was like to lose someone you love.  It was pain like I had never experienced, and made me see just how cruel life could be.  But feeling those raw emotions toughened me, and I learned that life is truly precious.

Image Credit – lifevesting.com

In every situation, I experienced pain and while I didn’t think I could ever rise above it, I somehow flourished and emerged a stronger person.  There’s no doubt that while I was in the midst of my suffering, whether it was physical or emotional, there was pain.  It was real, and I certainly was not at ease.  But when we can find a shred of pleasure or comfort when we are in distress, we can somehow manage to find peace.  Pain doesn’t have to be something from which we hide; it can actually be something that brings out the true warrior in us.  We can conquer the pain by finding the power that lies within it, and use it to help us stand tall, versus standing in the darkness.  And when we find the key to accomplishing that, we have truly found enlightenment.

Image Credit – lenayoga.com

What moment in your life has taught you the most about yourself?  And if that’s too personal, what’s your favorite stretch or your favorite way to stretch?

***Interested in trying some delicious fruit snacks?  Check out Morgan’s giveaway – they really sound too good to be true!***

Namasté,
Nicole

I’ve been reading more and more about people challenging themselves with fitness goals.  The runners and cyclists out there have been signing up for races and thus, gearing up for their training.  Others have been hitting the gym hard. They’ve been trying to go as often as they can, taking classes varying from Body Pump, kickboxing, spinning and Budokon.  I’ve also encountered people who have been committing themselves to getting at least an hour of cardio close to every day, along with some strength training.  And then there are the ones who are challenging themselves to practicing yoga for a pre-determined set of days.  I love the perseverance and dedication from all the people I’ve been reading about – regardless of the activity they are committed to doing.  I don’t know if it’s because of New Year’s resolutions, if the winter doldrums are forcing people to want to be active in order to stay warm or if it’s because people are just in need to get into shape.  But whatever the reason is, I support it 100%.

Image Credit – walkmoreeatless.com

I guess the fitness fever is contagious because I’ve been doing my hardest to practice yoga as much as I can.  And when I say, ‘as much as I can’, that means every day.  I’ve been trying to get myself to the studio every day of the week to get my daily session of hot power yoga.  In theory, being able to get on my mat every chance I can get is a glorious thing.  But, that is theory, and not reality.  Because I’ve been without a car for the past few weeks, Patrick and I have been having to share his.  Thus, going to class whenever I want hasn’t been entirely possible.  Patrick and I have been working on several exciting projects and while I am grateful for that, I’ve been quite busy and have had to adjust my schedule.  And naturally, there are just some days when I’m tired, sore or just plain not in the mood to go to class.  In other words, I just haven’t been able to practice yoga as often as I would like.

Image Credit – ehow.com

When I couldn’t meet my self-prescribed challenge, I’ll have to admit I was a bit bummed.  I kept asking myself questions like, ‘what is wrong with me?’, ‘why can’t I do it?’, ‘why am I so lazy?’ and ‘why can everyone else complete their goals but me?’  But none of those questions were making me feel any better and they weren’t helping me accomplish my goals any faster.  In fact, I was feeling worse.

I love how I feel in my body, mind and soul when I’m practicing yoga.  I feel strong, happy, healthy, love for my self and for all those around me and I feel capable.  I’m relaxed when I’m on my mat and I’m at ease.  I’m not critiquing myself, I’m not upset if I don’t meet a certain mark and I’m not putting myself down.  In fact, I’m at peace with myself when I’m practicing yoga.  So why can’t I have these same emotions and feelings when I’m off the mat?  Why is it that when I’m not practicing, I can’t seem to achieve that same level of peace?

Image Credit – businesspundit.com

This dilemma has plagued me for quite some time, and I’m still not sure if I’ll ever have the complete answer.  But what I have come to realize is that there shouldn’t be a beginning and an end to one’s yoga practice.  Yoga should be something that is practiced everyday, but that doesn’t mean one needs to be on their mat.  The lessons we learn in class about life and about ourselves should be something we practice on a consistent basis, not just for 90 minutes a day in a bamboo-floored studio.  Just like the transitions we utilize in yoga flowing from pose-to- pose, our actions and thoughts we have on and off the mat should be seamless.  We grow and transcend when we can mimic what we accomplish in our yoga practice, in our daily lives.  As my yoga teacher tells us, “our mats should be a practice space, not a performance space.”  We shouldn’t reserve all of our positive energy and emotion just for the times that we are able to make it to class or to our mats, and shine for those short moments when we are in the studio.  By using the time when we can practice yoga as time to teach and prepare ourselves for our day-to-day lives, we are truly practicing.  And when we can make how we conduct ourselves while we’re practicing yoga be virtually the same as when we are not, then the need for making challenges and for criticizing ourselves when we aren’t able to meet our own standards suddenly aren’t as important.  We can practice every day because the practice of yoga is something that can be done in our minds.  We don’t need to be on our mats or in a studio, we just need our breath and the knowledge that peace can be achieved at any time and any place.

Image Credit – path2innerpeace.com

Do you like setting goals for yourself?  How do you keep yourself motivated?  What do you do when you can’t meet your goals?

Namasté,
Nicole

How many times has this happened to you? You’re in a rush and need to meet a deadline.  As you’re banging away at your computer, trying your hardest to get everything finished, your co-worker comes by.  He starts talking and talking about something unrelated to work and won’t even take a breath to notice that you’re working harder than James Brown.  But instead of taking a few minutes to give him your undivided attention, you ‘yes’ him and half listen to what he’s saying.  In fact, you’ve heard all that your co-worker has been saying one too many times, as he seems to go on this rant several times a week.  So, instead of engaging your co-worker and thoroughly listening to his words, you basically just nod your head and answer his questions in your mind before he even asks them.  Sound familiar?

Image Credit – creativeenergyblog.com

Well, I don’t want to admit it, but I am totally guilty of this.  I used to think it was me being a fabulous multitasker, but that was just me trying to convince myself that I could do no wrong and that I basically had everything figured it out.  Sometimes I get so focused on what I’m doing in my own life, that I tend to shut out the rest of the world.  I’m not trying to say that I walk around like a zombie and that I don’t communicate with humans.  In fact, it’s the complete opposite.  My goal is to look and act as ‘normal’ as possible on the outside, but to be completely engulfed in my own self-thought on the inside.  Actually, I’m so good at this little charade that at times, I tend to fool myself.

The other day in yoga class, I was having a difficult time keeping up.  I’m not sure what the issue was?  Perhaps I wasn’t hydrated enough?  Maybe I didn’t get enough rest the night before?  Was I hungry?  Did I have too much on my mind?  Whatever the case was, I just wasn’t feeling it.  But instead of listening to what my body was telling me, I told my body to keep going.  After all, I had been practicing on average about 6 days a week for the past two years.  I knew my body could hack it.  The poses that we were doing in class weren’t hard.  I knew them all like the back of my hand and it didn’t seem as if anyone else in class was struggling.  I just kept ignoring what was going on inside of me and plowed through the rest of the class.  I felt like crap, but I didn’t care.  My goal was to just finish – how my mind and body felt didn’t play a factor.

Image Credit – somethingbruins.blogspot.com

As I was pushing through another pose, my teacher started talking about having a ‘know-it-all’ mind.  She asked if we were treating ourselves like so many other people we interact with on a daily basis.  Were we fully listening?  Were our bodies trying to have a conversation with us that we just couldn’t pay attention to?  Did we think we already had everything figured out?  Like in almost every class, I thought my teacher was talking directly to me.  I had the ‘know-it-all’ mind and I was definitely not listening to what my body had to say.  I was treating myself the way I was treating my chatty co-worker.  That kind of treatment wasn’t fair to my co-worker and it wasn’t fair to me.

After having my revelation, I finally decided to let my body do the talking and my ears do the listening.  Even though we were coming towards the end of class, I decided to make the every last minute count.  I listened to what was going on inside of me and walked over to the wall and just let my legs rest (viparita karani).  It felt amazing to completely let go and to feel the support beneath my legs.  While I wasn’t feeling 100% for most of the class, I felt completely at ease while I was resting.  Once I allowed my body the chance to speak and to be heard, the ‘off’ feeling I was having started to disappear.  For the last few moments of class, I was at peace – physically, mentally and spiritually.  I wasn’t pretending as if I knew what was going on with my body and that I had everything figured out.  For once, the ‘know-it-all’ didn’t want to know anything.  I was glad to have the opportunity for my mind to learn as much as possible from my body.  All of the information was available for me to soak in, it was always there.  I just had acknowledge it.  But when we train ourselves to constantly be the best at everything, we don’t leave room for growth or improvement.  For that reason, we need to understand that it’s important for us to be both the teacher and the student.  As soon as we start thinking we know everything, that’s when we’ll find just how little we know.

Image Credit – thehealthylivinglounge.com

Are you a fan of Lost?  I am!  And I’m so psyched that the new season has started.  If you are a fan, what did you think of last night’s episode?  If not, are there any television shows on right now that you just have to watch?

Namasté,
Nicole

I know it’s been cold all around the country, but it seems it’s been especially cold up in the Northeast.  I mean, when you’re wearing two pair of gloves, two pair of pants, two fleece jackets and a winter coat and you’re still numb, that’s not good.  Fortunately, this bitter cold spell is ending and we’ll soon have just regular winter temperatures.  Phew!

Other than practicing yoga in a hot and humid studio, drinking absurd amounts of hot water with lemon and herbal tea, never taking off my Snuggie (just kidding.  I don’t have one, but right now, it doesn’t seem like a bad idea!) and soaking in a bubble bath until I start looking like a prune, the only way I can stay warm physically and mentally is by eating vats of steaming hot soup.  Can you blame me?

Image Credit – mediabistro.com

Last night, I had a big bowl of broth on the brain.  I just couldn’t let it go.  All I could picture was that warm and toasty feeling in my stomach and how happy I would be.  I had to have my soup.  But, just any soup wasn’t going to do.  I had a hankering for Thai.  I needed soup from one of my favorite Thai restaurants, Dok Bua.  It’s just too bad that the timing of my soup hunger had to coincide with the Celtics/Lakers game.  And we can’t forget that I am married to Sport Billy.

Lucky for me, Patrick was also in the mood for Thai.  However, we had to make a deal.  We could have dinner at Dok Bua, but it had to be quick so that we could make it back for the last quarter of the Celtics game.  Done and done.  As long as I could have my soup, I didn’t mind having to rush back home to see the end of the game.  Healthy Chow knows how to compromise!

Dok Bua is a charming, little Thai restaurant in Brookline.  The prices are great, the food is delicious and the service is always prompt and exceptional.  While I have many favorites at this place, without question, I had to have my chicken noodle soup (guay-tiow-kai) tonight.  It’s simple, hearty, delectable and a nice bang for your buck.  Plus, soup takes me a good 10 minutes longer to inhale eat than a noodle dish would, and being able to eat slower is always a bonus for me.

Because we were dining on the earlier side, we were one of the only patrons in the restaurant.  Thus, our food was served immediately.  Obviously, Patrick was psyched about this as he was trying his hardest to make the end of the game, and I was psyched because I could finally eat my soup!

My chicken noodle soup was perfect.  The broth base was savory and bursting with flavor from the fresh scallion and cilantro.  The rice noodles were plentiful and the chicken gave this dish just the right amount of protein.  To top off my soup, I was given fresh bean sprouts and Thai basil.  I love adding bean sprouts to my soup as it gives a healthy crunch and adding Thai basil to anything is always wonderful.  It’s fragrant, sweet and has a mild licorice flavor.  It definitely made my soup even better, if that was even possible!

Patrick seemed to really enjoy his meal as well.  He ordered the chicken pad-si-ew dinner special, his all-time favorite.  Pad-si-ew is sautéed wide rice noodles in a spicy and savory brown sauce.  The dinner specials at Dok Bua come with a cup of tom yum soup, two egg rolls, two fried pork dumplings and steamed jasmine rice.  Needless to say, this is a lot of food, but certainly one of the best Thai food deals you can get in town.  Now you know why we love this place!

While my dinner tonight was most enjoyable, it was quickly coming to an end.  The Celtics were up and the clock was ticking.  But there’s always time for fortune cookies.  It’s just the right amount of sweetness to curb my post-dinner sugar craving.

“The future is the most expensive luxury in the world.”
“There is no reference for beauty.”

We got home just in time to catch the last few minutes of the game.  Literally, Patrick was running from the car into our condo building.  I don’t know why, but I thought this was the most hilarious thing!  Unfortunately, our night did not end in a ‘win-win’ situation.  While my giant bowl of soup was able to keep me warm and take some of that chill out of me, the Celtics lost their game to the Lakers by one point.  Oh well.  Nevertheless, we had a great dinner out and this was a relaxing way to end our frigidly cold winter weekend.  When you have wonderful company that warms your heart and a hot meal to warm your belly, how can you complain?  It’s just what the dok-tor ordered!

Better luck next time, C’s!

How do you keep warm during the winter?  Are you a soup person?  What’s your favorite kind of soup?

Namasté,
Nicole

When I got up yesterday morning to attend my yoga class, I didn’t think anything was different.  I shut the alarm off, washed up and got dressed for class.  But when I walked out to the street where I have parked my car every day and night for the past four years, I noticed something.  Actually, I should say that I didn’t notice something.  My car was nowhere to be found on the street.  I walked up and down the sidewalk frantically looking for my car, trying to figure out if I had left it elsewhere.  As I began sweating and my heart was racing, I realized that the last place I parked my car (and the last time I saw my car) was at the very exact space where I was standing.  And there was not a trace of it to be found.

(I took this pic this morning, not yesterday when I noticed it was stolen.  This is where my car is usually parked on the street, but today there was nothing…)

I turned around to walk back to my house in a frantic state.  Who would want my car?!  It’s over 10 years old, isn’t flashy, isn’t fast and certainly wasn’t the nicest car on the street.  So who would have wanted to take it?  I felt so sick and so wronged.  Tears started filling my eyes as I dialed the police department’s phone number.  However, I had to be re-directed about three times before actually reaching someone who could tell me about my car.  I was informed that I had to find out if it had been towed before I could actually report it as being stolen.  Was I supposed to know this?!  All I knew was that it was gone, that it wasn’t illegally parked and I didn’t have any outstanding or unpaid violations.  So just where in the heck was my car?!  The third person I spoke to was kind enough to look up my license plate to see if it had been picked up or found by their department.  Sure enough, my car was towed on Sunday evening, about 40 minutes after I had parked it for the night.  Instead of being in Boston, my car was now about four cities over, just sitting there idle in a tow yard.  Yessirree, my car was gone in less than 60 minutes from when I safely parked it.  WOW.  I couldn’t believe it.

Image Credit – carinsurancequotes4all.com

This is what I imagine happened to my car, since the window was never broken…

The pleasant gentleman at the tow yard informed me that my car was involved in a hit and run in the same city as  where the tow yard was located.  Apparently, the person who stole my car, didn’t know how to drive it and hit a parked car.  Naturally, he fled the scene on foot before he could be caught.  The owner of the parked car called the police to report the hit and run and that is when my car was towed.  Needless to say, my car was now broken into, involved in an accident, towed away and pretty damaged.  Zoinks!

Ouch!

My poor car…

The passenger side mirror is gone, too…

Look at the ignition just hanging there…

Take a look at how far back the driver’s seat is…It’s no wonder the thief crashed my car.  How could he see?

At least the thief left me my car parts…

And my American flag…

And if my day wasn’t already fun-filled enough, my next step was to go to the police station to report my car as being stolen.  I’m not sure if I looked as if I was the criminal or if the people at the front desk were having a bad day, but I was treated as if I wasn’t telling the truth.  Because my car was stolen from one city, was then involved in an accident and found in another city, my story was a bit too complicated for them to comprehend.  Finally, I must have broken through to the two ladies because they believed me and my paperwork started getting processed.  But before that was completed, I was asked, “why do you have an American first name and a Chinese/Japanese last name?”  And then I was asked, “why are Asians mostly short, small and on the skinny side?”  And finally I was asked, “why do Asians like to drive cars like Hondas and Toyotas?”  I didn’t feel like answering any of this woman’s questions, but I really didn’t have a choice.  I was at her mercy and just wanted this process to be over.  After over an hour of time, I was finally set free.  Not only was my car stolen and I felt violated, but over an hour of my time was robbed from me and I felt violated once again with the treatment I received at the police station.

Image Credit – cafepress.com

All in all, it wasn’t the best of days.  However, it certainly wasn’t the worst by any stretch.  I wasn’t hurt, no one was hurt in the accident, my car was recovered and it can be repaired.  Patrick was able to help me today during my adventure at the police station and was there when I completely freaked out at home this morning.  While a material possession such as my car was taken from me, the things that matter the most were not.  I still had a safe home to come back to and the support of my husband (and family – thank you Michelle, Dad and Mom for listening and making me laugh!).  When I was at the police station, I heard calls coming in for incidents involving assault, a restraining order and a gun shot wound, and I even heard someone loudly screaming in the background as they were getting booked.  My car being stolen seemed quite trivial in comparison to some of the other issues that were going on around me.  And while today won’t go down in the books as a happy day, it’s definitely a memorable one, and one from which I will learn.  Being able to find the lesson or the moral in a ‘not-so-pleasant’ situation is something I like to do.  It helps to remind me that life is never perfect and is constantly teaching us, if we are willing to learn.  And this is something that can never be taken away from me.

Do you have an alarm on your car?  I know people who don’t even lock their car doors.  Do you use one of those steering wheel locks?  I’m thinking I need to get one…

Namasté,
Nicole

In general, Sundays are one of my favorite days of the week.  I get up early and start the day with some hot yoga, have a leisurely breakfast/lunch with Patrick and the rest of the day is spent relaxing, enjoying the winding down of the weekend and looking forward to the week ahead.  But this past Sunday was a little different.  I spent the majority of Sunday hanging out with my sister doing something we both love – crafting and shopping!  When you can spend the day with one of your favorite people doing something you’re both ga-ga over, what’s better than that?

After a sweaty, yet calming yoga session, I headed over to my sister’s neck of the woods to grab some breakfast and to strategize our game plan for the rest of the morning.  I couldn’t think of a more suitable place than Panera Bread – plus it happened to be right across the street from our first shopping destination.

Me in the car after yoga – don’t I look refreshed?

No line at Panera?!  That never happens!

We ordered one whole grain bagel to share along with two cups of coffee.  While I could probably eat three whole bagels in one sitting, Michelle and I decided to opt for splitting one with a schmear of butter.  It cuts down all all those carbs and makes the belly less full for shopping.  After all, shopping is a sport!

While sipping our freshly brewed, guess who called?  MHC!  She either has ESP or has some sort of tracking device on us because she always seems to call whenever we are together.  Maybe it’s her mother’s intuition?  Obviously, we extended the invite, but MHC declined.  While she likes spending time with her daughters, crafting isn’t one of her faves.  Oh well…more bonding time for the Sisters Chow!

“Yeah Mom, I know my sister is the best…!”

Ohhh, I’m so hot like my coffee!

After finishing our breakfast, we trekked on over to our first destination – Jo-Ann Fabrics.  Holy crap on a cracker!  That store is insane in the membrane!  I’ve been to Jo-Ann’s in the past, but not recently.  If you’re crafting and Jo-Ann’s doesn’t have what you’re looking for, then you don’t need it.  Talk about oh-em-gee!

“Um, can you hurry up so we can start shopping already?”

BTW, any guesses on what we’re making?

After about an hour and a half at the crafting supply mecca, we headed across town to a place I’ve never been to before.  Fortunately, Michelle had visited this place in the past and was able to get us there in a snap.  Our next shopping destination was truly a hidden gem.  I wouldn’t have been surprised if you had to give a password to the doorman in order to get in.  It was just one of those places that was in the middle of nowhere and wasn’t in the most friendly looking of areas.  However, I was pleasantly surprised by the interior of the store.  Our second shopping destination, Downstairs at Felton Antiques, was jammed pack with all things antique.  It was as if we had walked into another world.

While Michelle and I were mostly interested in the vintage jewelry, we couldn’t help but take a peek at everything this place had to offer.  There were antique art, photographs, knickknacks, furniture, glassware, pottery/china, shoes and housing fixtures.  Everything was so interesting; I could only imagine the history behind all these things that filled the store.  While I was intrigued by all the items for sale and wanted to capture them on camera, the store owner seemed less than thrilled.  I managed to snap a few photos before she inquired as to what I was doing.  While she said she didn’t mind, I didn’t want to further press her buttons and stopped my picture taking efforts.  She was a pleasant woman, but just didn’t seem to want me taking any more photos.  A blogger can understand…

After about an hour or so, we made our purchases and our day of crafting and shopping came to an end.  While we did more shopping (and chatting) than crafting (which will be postponed for a later date), our afternoon couldn’t have been better.  I’m so lucky to have a sibling that has such similar interests as me.  The synergy that we share when we’re shopping, designing, creating and of course, just hanging out, is one that can’t be matched or duplicated.  Because we’re sisters, it’s easy for us to brainstorm ideas with one another, but it’s also easy for us to be brutally honest.  I don’t think there’s any one else in this world with whom I can share these kinds of Sundays.  But then again, sharing comes natural to us.  For instance, we shared our breakfast, our crafting supplies, a bedroom and an apartment in the past, our jewelry business presently, our wardrobe growing up as kids, cooking duties and of course, a womb (thanks MHC!).  When you’ve been together (literally) since the beginning of the life, you get pretty good at supporting each other and having each other’s back (literally), it makes sense that I wish ’sister sunday’ could be ’sister every day’!

My share of the loot for the day

Do you know what we’re making yet?  Any ideas or thoughts?  Astrid, you already know, so you can’t guess !

Namasté,
Nicole

What ever happened to Bobby McFerrin?

Guess What?!  The other day I had the pleasure of receiving the Happy 101 award/game from the lovely Kate! Thank you so much, Lady!  It was such a sweet way to brighten my day and a good reminder that when the world and your surroundings get you down, we have to remember the things that makes us happy and smile from the inside out.

According to Kate, the only thing I have to do is list 10 things that make me happy and then pick 10 people to do the same.  Sounds pretty easy!  Drum roll please…

1) Finding a great bargain – I love to shop.  I love clothes.  I love shoes.  I love handbags.  I love jewelry.  I love food.  And I love it even more when I can get all of those things on SALE!  I don’t what it is, but I get this high like no other when I can find an amazing deal.  And you know what’s even better?  When someone sees me in/with my new bargain purchase and then compliments me on it.  I honestly have to bite my tongue so I don’t yell, “Guess how much I paid for it?!  You won’t believe it!”

2) Yoga - I probably don’t even need to explain this one, but yoga is definitely something that makes me happy.  I love how I feel when I’m on my mat; I feel energized, strong, calm and capable of anything and everything.  Feeling my breath slowly filling every inch of my body and then feeling every ounce of it exit out of my body relaxes my mind, spirit and soul and when I’m finished with my practice, I emerge as a new person.  I feel whole again.

3) Afternoon naps – I’m not sure if I liked taking naps as a small child, but as an adult, I love them.  Being able to curl up on my couch on a snowy and cold day with my favorite blanket (and person) and catching a few zzz’s mid-day is heavenly.  It’s definitely a luxury and one I won’t have forever once I have my own children to prepare for nap time

4) Spending time with Patrick - We really know how to crack each other up.  There are moments when we’re just being silly and goofy and all we can do is laugh at each other.  And, there are times when we’ll have our heart-to-heart talks or when I’ll need a shoulder to cry on and Patrick is always there to make me feel better.  I’m so lucky and blessed to have him in my life and I cherish all the time we spend together.

5) Trader Joe’s - I know I’ve said it before, but I will say it again.  I <3 TJ’s!  I could spend hours there just staring at all their wonderful (and wonderfully priced) products.  And, the people who work there are always so cordial and helpful.  Trader Joe’s makes me happy because I always leave there feeling like I got some good food, some great service and an amazing feeling in my heart.  You can’t beat that!

6) Compliments on the jewelry I’ve created – Making jewelry is something I started close to ten years ago and I still love it to this day.  Being able to have an idea in my head and then making that idea come to life is truly magical to me.  But when someone compliments me on my work and is then interested in that same piece for themselves, it’s music to my ears!  I take pride in my work and being recognized for it makes me a happy camper.

7) Hugs - There’s nothing better than a hug.  I don’t think people give enough of them and even more so, I don’t think people allow themselves to receive them enough.  When my goddaughter or nieces give me a hug, it brightens up my day and totally melts my heart.  I can’t help but grin from ear-to-ear after that.

8 ) Coffee with my sister – After Michelle and I go to yoga class on Saturday morning, we have our morning coffee together.  It’s our time to bask in our post-yoga glow, catch-up on ‘what’s the haps’ and enjoy a fresh brew.  Sometimes, we’ll just sit and chat for hours and before we know it, it’s almost time for lunch.  It makes me happy knowing I have a great relationship with my twin sister and that I’m fortunate enough to see her as often as I do.

9) The arrival of spring -You know that day that comes at the very, very end of winter (or sometimes it’s technically already spring) when all of the sudden you realize the day is longer, the sun is warm and shining and you don’t need to wear a down coat anymore?  Well, that day makes me want to jump up and down and scream for joy!  There’s that somethin’-somethin’ in the air and you just know that the cold is gone and warmer days are here to stay.  I equate the feeling I have on this day to the feeling I used to get on the last day of school before summer vacation…almost.

10) When someone tells me how much they enjoy reading my blog – Whenever I receive a comment in my inbox or on my blog and they tell me how much they enjoy reading Healthy Chow and how inspired they feel, my spirits are immediately lifted.  I started my blog because I wanted to live a more healthy and balanced life.  I did it for me.  But knowing that I’ve been able to bring a little joy in someone else’s life and that I’ve been able to give them some encouragement, makes Healthy Chow a Happy Chow!

And here are the 10 bloggers I wanted to pass Happy 101 along to…(FYI, I wanted to pass this along to everyone!)

Astrid – Two Feet Ten Toes
Angela – Angela Loves Food
Morgan – Life after Bagels
Lauren – Giant Scoops of Joy
Shannon – Lessons to Learn
Sophia – Burp and Slurp
Casey – Spicy & Sweet
Alyson – Nourished Fitness
Morgan – Live, Love, Eat and Play
Ashley – Daily Goods

Thank you again, Kate! This was a fun exercise and definitely brought a smile to my face.  Maybe I should make this a regular practice of mine?  It really does bring things into perspective and reminds me of how fortunate I am.

What are some of the things that make you happy?

Namasté,
Nicole

Remember this oldie but goodie? It’s the only thing I can think of as I’m writing this blog post. Being that this is the final installment of “Healthy Chow’s-a-Makin’-Some-New-Friends”, I figured that the song, “One More Time” would be appropriate.  For the past four weeks, I’ve been challenging myself to ‘meeting’ five new bloggers.  And while I’ve introduced myself to many, many have also introduced themselves to me.  It’s been so much fun!  I’ve learned so much from these wonderful people and I’ve even learned some things about myself.  For example, when I step outside of my comfort zone, it’s not so bad.  And when I constantly stay inside the lines, I never give myself the chance to grow.  And where’s the fun in living when you’re stagnant? There isn’t any!

Week 5 of Healthy Chow’s-a-Makin’-Some-New-Friends

• The Clean Eating Mama – This mama is named Tasha and when I saw her comment on my blog, I just had to check her out.  Firstly, she might have the cutest little boy ever!  Tasha lives in the Seattle area with her son, Jordan, her husband, Marc, and their dog, Lilly.  Tasha has a passion for nutrition and living well, and wants to be a good example and pass her knowledge along to her son.  I love how Tasha is starting her son off on the right foot at such an early age.  He’s a lucky little boy!  And check out her tips on getting children to eat healthy – they are simple and make so much sense.  While Tasha eats clean, it doesn’t mean her recipes are boring – take a peek at her Chocolate Banana Bread and Quinoa and Pomegranate Salad.  And if you’d like to add one of your own recipes to Tasha’s recipes page, just let her know and she’d be glad to host it.  Thanks Tasha!  You’re a mama who definitely knows her stuff!

• Vee Chats – Vee is another blogger who introduced herself to me first.  You see, when you reach out, it comes right back to you!  Vee was born in the Czech Republic and spent 2/3 of her life there.  She has also lived in England and NYC.  An avid traveler, Vee has been to places that I’ve only dreamed of – check it out! As you can see, she has a zest for life and loves to learn about different cultures and traditions.  Vee has a cat named Peri, whom she adopted from a rescue center and is passionate about animals and their rights.  As you can already tell, Vee has a big heart.  And, Vee is also quite the tennis player – she played for over three hours the other day.  WOW!  She’s also participating in the “Ten Weeks to Healthy in 2010″ – take a look at her goals; she is serious!  And like me, Vee likes her interesting food combos – chicken baked with banana and cheese. Sounds good to me!

• Vanity & Sanity – Ashley is the owner of this blog and she is a newbie.  But don’t let that make you think she’s shy; I’ve seen Ashley leaving comments all over the blogosphere, as well as on my blog.  Way to jump right in, Ashley!  She’s a bride-to-be and started this blog to document her journey in the gym, the kitchen and the wedding planning process.  BTW, her dress is gorgeous!  Ashley lives with her fiancé (also her best friend) and their new kitten.  While their kitty thinks he’s a baby, Ashley is excited to have her own kids soon (me too!).  Wish her happy birthday as she just celebrated her big day last week.  It looks like Ashley likes to bake as well – check out her butter tart.  Like me, Ashley is a big yoga fanatic, loves Lululemon and one of her goals in 2010 is to practice yoga at least once a week.  Sounds like a great idea to me!  Ashley, I think we have a lot on common.  It’s nice to meet you!

• Leftovers for Lunch – These leftovers belong to Leah.  Another bride-to-be, Leah lives in the Seattle area with her fiancé, Jodus, but lived all over the world as she was a self-proclaimed Air Force brat.  When I was reading Leah’s About page, I noticed two things: she’s like me in that she loves food and anything related to food and she’s a riot.  Just check out her picture!  I really enjoyed reading the meaning behind Leah’s blog name – it makes perfect sense and was quite helpful.  And if you want to see what Leah buys on a regular basis, take a peek at her grocery list.  Great pics!  I applaud Leah with her honesty about her weight loss journey and I admire her positive attitude.  I also admire her affection for the Whole Foods salad bar! Leah, your salads look so much like my salads!  And if you’re looking for a warm and hearty comfort meal, Leah’s recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup looks amazing!

• Healthy Twists – This lovely blog belongs to Hallie.  Hallie is 24 years old and lives in San Diego (lucky duck!) with her boyfriend, Mitch, their puppy, Nina and their fish, Phillip.  Because Hallie likes to put a healthy twist on unhealthy recipes, Mitch suggested this name.  How cool?!  I’m inspired by Hallie’s weight loss and her dedication to fitness and eating well.  She seems like she definitely has her head on straight!  And, her recipes are fantastic!  Check out her healthy recipe for Pad Thai, Barbecue Bacon Meatloaf and Fish Tacos with Black Bean Salsa.  And a big congrats to Hallie as she is the winner of Oikos’ trip to Kripalu! Hallie, if you need tips on Boston or a tour guide, look me up!  BTW, I totally loved Hallie’s post on ‘putting things out into the universe’.  She put it out there and it’s amazing to see what she got back.  Way to go, Hallie!

Phew!  That was a great challenge! And you know what?  It wasn’t really even a challenge since it wasn’t difficult at all once I got comfortable outside of my comfort zone.  After these past few weeks, I’ve learned that people will generally give back what you give to them.  Because I happily introduced myself to so many bloggers and introduced them to you on my blog, they were elated and bloggers started introducing themselves to me.  I know I’m sounding all warm and fuzzy here, but honestly, it’s a great feeling.  In this day and age, it’s easy to get down on ourselves and lose faith in humankind.  I know that I can get discouraged when someone is rude for no reason or I witness senseless cruelty.  However, this doesn’t mean that everyone in this universe is that way.  We just have to take that first step and reach out.  What one risks is so small, in comparison to what one can gain.  That said, I’m glad I started this challenge, that I completed it, that I am ending 2009 with this glorious feeling and starting 2010 with it.  It truly will be a happy new year! Thank you!

Have you made your 2010 resolutions yet?  Is there something you want to do or want to get back to doing?  Do you have any big plans for New Year’s Eve?

Namasté,
Nicole

WOW!  Christmas came and went with a bang!  I think I blinked my eyes and it was instantly over.  However, I did have a blast and enjoyed every minute of this glorious holiday.  As I mentioned in my previous post, this year I wanted to really be involved with the cooking and preparation, versus just lounging around as I did in years past.  Thus, for Christmas Eve, after much deliberating and thought, I decided on baking a ham, making a hot appetizer and whipping up a tasty dessert.  That said, I was up at the crack-a-lackin’ of dawn to get a good stretch in at yoga and then it was time to hunker down in the kitchen.  I was cooking up a storm!  Not to pat myself on the back, but everything came out better than I expected.  Also, everything took a bit longer than expected.  Before I knew it, it was time to rush out the door to my brother-in-law and sister-in-law-to-be’s place for Christmas Eve dinner.  We made it just in time! Phew!

When Patrick and I walked in, the festivities had already started.  Patrick’s family was socializing and munching on appetizers as I was getting my goodies settled in the kitchen.  Among the array of finger foods were shrimp cocktail, an antipasto platter, baked brie and fresh fruit.

Hello everyone!

Hmmm, shrimp cocktail!

What a spread!

A little bit of everything…

My hot appetizer: bite-sized biscuit cups with caramelized onion, mushrooms, gorgonzola and bacon

My baked ham with tangy honey citrus glaze.  Check out that garnish; it’s all about the presentation!

A yummy lasagna – courtesy of my mother-in-law, Ellen.  Thanks El! (BTW, it wasn’t 10:57 pm.  The clock was a little wacky!)

My sister-in-law, Carolyn’s, green bean casserole.  So good!

How’s the food, Pat?

Carolyn and Greg

Uncle Norm and Auntie Margo

My dinner plate (or bowl, as we ran out of plates)

After Carolyn and I finished prepping and serving dinner, we cleaned up and got the living room area ready for the activity portion of the night – gift opening! There were some wonderful gifts this year (much like every year) and we were all quite pleased.  While I love the gifts that I received, I also loved watching the excitement and joy on the faces of my family members.  There were so many laughs and good times shared, exactly what the holidays should be about.

I think Ellen really liked her new coat! Priceless!

Uncle and Nephew

My father-in-law, Dan, loving his 2010 calendar of Colby (Carolyn’s dog)

The hosts for the evening: Kevin and Vanja

Which is the better gift, Carolyn?  The handbag or Greg?

Healthy Chow’s best gift ever!

Cheers!

Healthy Chow happily posing with some of her Christmas gifts

Once we finished opening our gifts, we had digested our dinner and made room for our next course – dessert! On the agenda were chocolate and vanilla frosted cupcakes, Carolyn’s homemade apple crisp and my freshly baked (or chilled) key lime pie.  Everything was delicious!  I loved the buttery, yet light taste of the apple crisp with the toasted oatmeal topping.  And my key lime pie was tart and refreshing.  It tasted very tropical! I definitely had a taste (and a little bit more) of everything

I’m glad I saved room for dessert!

Ah, cupcakes!

What a lovely night!  Kevin and Vanja did a fantastic job decorating their home giving it a warm, Christmas feeling and hosted a great party.  We all had a such an amazing time enjoying each other’s company and sharing so many laughs.  Not to mention, the food was delicious! I’m proud to say that my first-ever baked ham came out quite well and was a hit!  It felt great to be able to fully contribute to my family’s dinner and to know that I was able to help in giving them a nice meal on Christmas Eve.  I think all of our bellies were quite full and happy.  What a splendid way to end the day and to prep myself for the next big event…Christmas!

I hope you had a Merry Christmas!

Did you make anything for your holiday meal?  If so, would you make it again?  Do you like cooking on the holidays?

Namasté,
Nicole