Farm to Table Yoga Dinners: Get Your Dance On

I've been trying to follow this motto: "Do one thing a day that scares you"-- really pushing and encouraging myself out of my comfort zone. There's a variety of things that I've been tackling along the years like traveling solo and learning to ask for help. My proudest moment to date was on July 27th. I danced to my hearts content! Sometimes (okay a big chunk of the time) I freeze when I dance. I'm enjoying the music in my head but my body won't move as freely. A lot has to do with being self conscious.

So I went to a yoga/dance day-retreat at Growing Heart Farm in upstate Harlem Valley Wingdale.

When you get off of the MNR you're greeted by a beautiful yet eerie deserted insane asylum. You're then guided by Abby Paloma founder of Growing Heart Farm along a paved road passing by golf courses..and then you hook a left...into the woods??? That was an unexpected turn.

Please excuse my pictures. My iphone camera lens is scratched up.

Seriously in the woods. A thin trail lasting about 10 minutes.

Until you reach the farm. Beautiful. Worth the two hour train ride!

So Growing Hearts Farm is a CSA farm, providing produce in multiple areas of Manhattan and Brooklyn. They open their farm for camping, educational purposes and dinners under the name Farm To Yoga. Every event (their last dinner for the season is October 12) is different. The one I went to specifically coordinated with DJ Natasha Blank of Get Your Dance On.

It's a full day event with ground tours and tasting from the land...

Lounging under huge tent toppled with oversized pillows, guitar playing, singing, hula hoops.

And then Abby warms us up with a few yoga sequences. Yoga in nature feels 10xs better than a studio with hardwood floors. Mats were provided but many opted out.

Natasha then eases us into the dance session, making us walk in a large circle on the plush grass. I feel silly. I look at the ground a lot, not wanting to make eye contact. My movements are stiff. 

Soon, the music changes, Natasha makes us close our eyes and sway to the music. I am shy. I close my eyes. I peek to check out the crowd but everyone is in their own element. I sway. Then sway some more. The music is actually very therapeutic. I relax. We flow. The music picks up. Confidence grows. The energy rises. Everyone is dancing--not like when you're at a bar/club trying to "look" a certain way. There's no sexy music playing.  

Natasha partners us up, switches us, partners us up again with another yogi, repeat. You feed off of everyone's energy. I feel no judgement. This is actually...easy. We synchronize our movements with each other--our elbows, then our feet, you lead, I lead. By the time we walked around in circles again, my chin is lifted and I am prancing around. 

This clip is after over an hour of dancing. I think it's amazing how comfortable we got in our skin-- sober. No drugs, no alcohol. It's a liberating feeling-- finding your inner ninja. 

Afterwards we ate an earthy, nourishing meal made grown from the farm. 

Exchange: $75 (full experience: Yoga, Farm Tour, Dinner) $95 (Gold Plate: Yoga, Farm Tour, Dinner and extra support to your farmers) $55 (Dinner ticket: Farm Tour and Dinner) $115 (Yoga, Farm Tour, Dinner and Camping)

Since that Saturday I've been to two other events by Natasha. She's dj-ing at the Afro Punk Festival this weekend. Follow her on Facebook.  And of course, visit Growing Heart Farm!

Travel: Yoga in Barcelona

I was determined to fit in my yoga practice during my travels in Barcelona. No day should ever end without a proper down dog, right?  Center Cos (Gran de Gracia) and Let's Speak Yoga (La Eixample) were both English friendly speaking classes in the city. I managed to hold crow's pose for the first time ever in Center Cos because my teacher was determined for me to defeat my fear of breaking my wrists (it didn't break!) And as my 12 days in Barcelona were winding down, what I looked forward to the most was my 3 day getaway to the foothills of the Pirinees with SansYoga (Las Ramblas). 

Yoga in the Catalan countryside was so picturesque and relaxing after a week of sites and sounds.

The day is filled with meditation, two 90 minute yoga classes, three family style sit down meals from our in-house chef, and free time to hike/ride bicycles or do nothing at all.

Many thanks to everyone for going out of their way to speak/translate/adding gestures to keep me in the conversations. A big IOU to Bruno for the ride. And a big hug to Sandra for sharing her practice with me.

Sandra holds multiple retreats in the Barcelona area. The next one is October 5-7, 2012. Contact Sandra for more info: sandra@sansyoga.com or http://www.sansyoga.com/en/

More pictures here: http://www.sansyoga.com/en/gallery/

Travel: Where I Stayed in Barcelona

Two weeks in BCN was going to cost me a lot of money if I stayed in a hotel, so I opted for AirBNB and rented out a room. It was my first time using a site like this, and I was a bit wary of how the experience would be and what random stranger I would be living with.

In the end, it came down to 1. The picture of the hosts' face. Someone who didnt look crazy.  2. Decor. I wanted a room that felt like I was in Barcelona, not filled with Ikea furniture and a big poster of the Brooklyn Bridge. (There were a lot of those listed). 3. Location. After mapping out my itinerary, I went with L'Eixample because it was more or less in the center of my map. (Gracia, a mini Williamsburg but not really comparable at all was my 2nd option, the southern point of El Ravel closest to the sea was not quite gentrified enough for me, and Barrio Gothic would be like living in LES/Union Square, a bit too hectic).

I lucked out with a secured elevator building, one block away from the subway, with sun filled rooms for $471, on the border of L'Eixample y El Ravel. Good deal!

And the biggest perk was that my host, Jesus, a talented well traveled photographer (born and raised in Spain) and I got along so well! We stayed up till 3AM one night talking about travels and life experiences. I know its not typical for hosts and guests to hang out, which made this experience even more neat. He took me riding on his motorcycle and we grabbed beers with his friends, had a Sunday stroll to the book flea market, hung out at home with his GF.

Ha, I even met his mom Pura, who was visiting from Madrid for the weekend and staying with her daughter elsewhere. My flight had arrived early, so Pura was the only one home to greet me. She spoke zero English and I barely speak Spanish (seriously, un poquito). We gestured for the most part and I frantically looked up words in my dictionary trying to communicate to her. Its kind of amazing how well we got along and how much we understood each other. When I saw Pura again the next day, I remembered I had the Google Translate app where you can speak into the phone in one language and it spits out the translation in a matter of seconds. Our conversations totally upgraded to a whole new level. I had no idea how much she cursed until I read the translation on the phone! Shocking. Hehehe. Un beso!

Travel: El Vaso de Oro + Generous People

In the neighborhood of Barceloneta is a long narrow standing-room only tapas restaurant called El Vaso de Oro, packed with locals.  I arrived straight after yoga, stomache grumbling, credit card in tow. I knew exactly what I wanted to start with: foie a la plancha and a beer. (P.S. This trip is the most beer I've had my entire life). Foie a la plancha is chunks of rich, fattened liver topped with sauteed onions on a fresh piece of toasted bread. I couldnt get enough of the combination melting in my mouth-- I've had foie gras plenty of times, but this was creamier, a little sweeter (could have been the onions), seared to perfection. I wiped down the entire plate of its drippings.

As I was about to add onto my order with the waiter, I overheard some customers being rejected from using their credit cards. "Cash only," said the waiter. My jaw dropped, heart sank, face turned beet red. All I had on me was 10 Euros and my credit card. Credit card, not ATM card. I froze in disbelief.

And then, the most generous act of kindness was bestowed opon me. Ernesto and Montserrat (childhood friends of each other) who had just placed their orders, complete strangers to me, saw me in my despair, and said something along the lines of, "Join us. We've ordered more than enough to share". Seriously. They were 100% genuine. And so, with another round of beer, assortment of tapas, wine and dessert, I became friends with two amazing Catalans. Their overwhelming kindness will always be remembered.

El Vaso de Oro
Carrer de Balboa, 6
Metro: Barceloneta
CASH ONLY

Travel: Barcelona, Spain: Markets

Here are some amazing visuals we normally don't see at our markets in the states.

*ginormous octopus
 *fish displayed with its skin peeled back

 *skinned rabbit (look at those eyes!)  Didnt recognize it was a bunny without the ears at first.

Everyone raves about La Boqueria when visiting Barcelona. It's listed #1 on Trip Advisor for shopping. Reviewers would say it would be sacriligious not to visit, like missing out on 42nd St. Time Square or Empire State Building on your first trip to NY. Normally I would avoid such reviews especially since La Boqueria is located right off of Las Ramblas (think 34th St during lunch hour) and offskirt of El Ravel (think Canal St, Chinatown). Hello, it's clearly built for tourism. 

But, I'll concede with the ratings on this one, because La Boqueria is a wonderous site. It was just as shocking as Hong Kong's Sai Kung and Lei Yu Men fish market. Go once (okay I went twice since its impossible to order everything I want as a solo traveler and I really wanted to taste the food at El Quim and Pinoxto) take your pictures, enjoy your Estrella/ delicious tapas, and then scurry out of there.

If you can do without the mass crowds, you can easily see smaller scales of similar products of La Boqueria at Mercat de Saint Antoni, Mercat Santa Caterina, or Mercat de la Llibertat instead. I went to all four local markets; and none are disappointing. Anyways, the food I ate at the Boqueria and other markets were all undeniably good, but for the most part, I've eaten simliar dishes and they all tasted familiar ie: chipirones (squid), gamba (shrimp), xuxo (beef cheek), botifarra (blood sausage).

The one dish that did get me giddy like a school girl was from El Quim:  huevos fritos con llanguetas (fried egg w/ itty bitty tiny fish). Those black speckles you see? Thats their eyes! The texture in general is like a moist fish hash, but gritty because of the small bones. It's a delicacy (18.75 euros for the dish, while others are just 2 euros) and was delightful!

Read This: Brooklyn Magazine

(Flight to Barcelona).
I realize I've already posted about Brooklyn Magazine in October, but I'm big on Brooklyn and my heart grows fonder for my borough each time I read about it. Brooklyn Magazine is a quarterly publication that covers style, design, food, and interviews. Besides the aesthetcis: photography & design layout of each issue, I'm drawn in by the intimate interviews with Brooklynites and the discovery of talented people that make Brooklyn so special. No matter how far and often I travel, I know I'll always belong in Brooklyn.

You can also read them online here: http://bklynmag.com/.

Barcelona till February

Off to Barcelona! Nine days of wandering the city, 3 days at a yoga retreat :)

NYC > HK > NYC

Enjoyed my new subscription of Brooklyn Magazine while flying business class.

TraveI: I XO CPH

I havent even landed yet but I've already fallen in love with Copenhagen.
Photo from Copenhagen Cycle Chic.

Travel: Austin, Texas

Succulent dinosaurs! Found these bad boys from Plaid Pigeon, along South Congress in Austin Texas. Buying one was just not enough....

Travel: Kayaking in New Hampshire

Spent the weekend in New Hampshire kayaking! 9 miles, Contoocook River.
Good call considering New York's contaminated waters this weekend

Okay and Then...

Follow Patrick as he backpacks through Europe. He's got a pretty good eye for photography. http://okayandthen.blogspot.com/

Outside NY: San Francisco

While I was in SF last week, I ate some good meals. Wexlers, Wayfare Tavern, The Grove. But all food in SF is good. I've yet to be disappointed. Sadly, good gets boring. So this makes me want to strive for better than good.

Which leads me to Baretta. Yes, the burrata pizza was good, and so was the squid ink risotto. But thats expected. Give me something unexpected....and in comes their desserts.

A spoonful of their house-made gelato ice cream seriously awakened my palette.  
Left: Bonet-chocolate gelato with amaretti & caramel: Savored every bite (and I dislike chocolate). I couldnt grasp the beauty of almond flavors melding in with chocolate. We sat in silence appreciating this one.
Right: And then the panna gelato with extra virgin olive oil & sea salt was a little life altering. Polar opposites -- like vanilla ice cream and french fries.

Bi-rite Creamery has nothing on Baretta. But NY's Big Gay Ice Cream Truck may-- he does a killer vanilla with siracha sauce. He'll be back in May!

Out of Office

In Amsterdam, London and Montreal for 2 weeks. Forecast says rain. Crossing fingers for it to change! Enjoy the sun NY!

SF: SF Underground

I dont live in SF, but after my first visit this past May, maybe...I could.
If youre in the Bay Area, you should visit SF Underground Market--AND their Wild Food Walks.

Back Up Again

I know. Ive been slacking. Lets play catch up shall we?
If youre looking for a get-a-way weekend, heres an option or two.

1. Skydiving. Jump out in Gardiner, NY with Sky Dive the Ranch. Only an hour and half away. You get 14,000 feet, 1 minute of free falling and then 6 minutes of parachuting. Its kind of an awesome adrenaline rush. My tandem guy Van, above, has skydived for 37 years. Here's a clip. Worth every second.

2. Guilford, Conneticut. Only 2 hours away on Metro North and peaceful serenity. My friends have homes there, so wouldnt be able to advise where to sleep-- but you should drop by The Place (891 Boston Post Rd). Its basically outdoor tree stump seating, plywood round picnic tables and a camping atmosphere serving seafood.  The foods real simple (roast clam special was the best) and the mosquitoes kill. Cash only. BYOB. Bring Off bug spray.

3. Madison, Connecticut. Just a town over from Guilford. Its clean. You float in the water. A whole different vibe than Coney Island.

Travel: Summer House in Mattituck, North Fork

Renting summer houses for a mini vacation is a new concept for me-- but its a habit I can easily indulge in going forward!  The 7 of us had a 3 day weekend in Mattituck, North Fork last Friday thanks to our guest of honor Aja, hostess/ chef/ organizer Jordie and VRBO (vacation rentals by owner website).

Looks like it could go in Design Sponge, no?

Why do I live in NY again?

The weather was exceptional. Barely looked at my phone. Hours of sunbathing at the beach and lawn...

Enjoying homecooked meals with recipes inspired by Mario Batali...

Drank to our hearts content...refreshers in the morning....

Wine tasting at Shinn Estate Vineyard in the afternoon...

Impromptu karaoke at Old Mill Inn after dinner...

And gourmet ice cream for our ride back home...

Travel: LA, CA for Sushi Zo

Was in LA last week and made it back to Sushi Zo.
Best omakase ever.
Ever.

Dont come here looking for a California roll or your terriyaki chicken.
This is not casual sushi.

Sushi Zo is located in a crappy west LA strip mall, the interior though clean creates no ambiance and sometimes you want to smack that arrogant look off of Chef Seki's face.

Regardless, I try to come back once a year, to experience some of the best pieces of sushi imaginable.

My original favorite, that I rave to everyone about, was the uni with squid noodles and a touch of wasabi. Still phenomenal...but...

....then I discovered monkfish liver. Jesus Mary Joseph! Tastes better than foie gras!

Alas, 16 pieces for $112. But worth every bite.


9824 National Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 842-3977

Travel: Singapore / Malaysia

It's hard maintaining friendships when we each live so away. Luckily I accumulated enough frequent flyer miles this year to travel across country to see Kenneth for 7 short but happy days.

We spent 4 days in his hometown Singapore then split 3 days between Maleka and Kuala Lumpur exploring every nook and cranny available. I didnt care for the shiny malls and 5 star restaurants (although Tea Bone Zen Mind and The White Rabbit in the abandon church was cool). I went for the nitty gritty as scary as it sometimes felt. Prostitute Lane almost made me pee in my pants.

Upon our first night of exploring in Malaysia I was thankful to find this 'butcher shop'.
Note to self, do not eat any pork while staying here!!

Hi, ever hear of a freezer????

Head sold separately.

Nice huh? Theyre smiling!

Anyways, for now Im just limiting myself to this one post. I have over 300 pictures to sort through!

If you want to see all the amazing food, exotic fruits and some charming some ghetto architecture from Singapore and Malaysia, feel free to hit me up on flickr. (Youll need an account to befriend me).

Outside of NY: Guilford, CT and Mt Snow, Vermont

Usually when Im on a snowboard road trip we just drop by McDonald's or Dunkin Donuts and call it a day. But wouldnt it be great if you had a guaranteed delicious spot to drop by when on the road?

Ive found 2 this weekend-- but unfortunately have no pictures to share.

If youre driving through Connecticut, fill up your tank at Sunaco, and stop by Deli Unlimited for breakfast sandwich: eggs, cheese bacon on a roll. I know it sounds simple. You can get that at any deli anywhere in NY. But maybe its Larry (the owner) chatting you up, the extra crisp bacon, the donuts and danishes prancing around on the counter that makes this one sandwich/ experience so good.

Deli Unlimited
1099 Boston Post Rd Guilford, CT 06437
(203) 453-2473

And then after your day trip snowboarding in Vermont (Okemo and Mt Snow highly recommended) dont forget to drop by the Vermont Country Deli for some gourmet-to-go dinner! Mac-and-cheese, pulled pork, chicken noodle soup --the works-- theyve got it. Including decadent cakes and Vermont jams/spreads.

Vermont Country Deli
436 Western Av
Brattle boro, VT 05301
(802) 257-9254

Now I just need to work on connecting heel toe. Sigh.