Listening to: Radiohead's 15 Step

Captured moments

This past weekend, I ventured "home" to see the other addition to my family, my newphew LB. I took in snuggles, laughed more than I have in a while, and drank in the thing called love. I even broke out my piece o' crap camera to snap some pics.

Look what I want to make

when I have time. I've been eyeing these necklace's at J. Crew for quite some time. But J. Crew's prices are borderline loony bin, who the heck would pay that much. So I thought, hmm, maybe I could recreate it. I'm not a jewelry maker by any means, but I figure it should be simple enough. Don't you love the aquamarine one?

New knitting blog to follow

Raising my needles in inspiration to Yarniad. I will knit like this. Buy yarns like this. Someday.

Well, no one died on my birthday

Yesterday, on Friday the 13th, I celebrated my 27th birthday. Yes, that's right. On Friday the 13th. I took the day off to limit any catastrophes. I knocked on wood. Threw salt over my shoulder. Anything I could think of to keep all my loved ones and myself safe. And just as a precaution, Jonathan also took the day off.

My birthdays are usually really big letdowns. Maybe it's my high expectations. This year, I had no expectations and tons of fun. Maybe at 27, I've learned to let go.

I went to two yoga classes in the morning, wearing my poser shirt. At my yoga studio, I bought myself a $60 Jade yoga mat as a birthday present to myself. If you're serious about yoga like I am, you need this mat. I got my in orange and, should I ever need it anymore, it matches my yoga towel. I also got myself a birthday chai latte from Starbucks. Mmmmm. The perfect birthday morning.

When I got home, there was a FedEx box waiting for me from my sister Capricious. A while back she had a 100th blog-post giveaway for a really fun and funky tote. She had given me one of her very first tote creations, and I love it. It's a sophisticated, yet fun, black and white tote. I use it primarily to carry my knitting or magazines. So when she posted about her 100th blog-post giveaway being a tote made out of fun and funky pink and green material, I had to have it. So try as I might, I didn't win. Apparently, my excitement and want for the tote resonated with my sister, because I got my very own for my birthday. She spoils me so.

Jonathan gave me an auxilirary cord so I can listen to my iPhone in my car. Yay! I can even listen to Pandora radio too. He also made me my favorite chocolate cupcakes with rainbow chip frosting , which basically meant I had to be in the kitchen directing traffic.

To cap the evening, we ate dinner at The Bristol. I had the salmon and Jonathan had the trout. We both had the lobster mac 'n' cheese, which was heavenly. I decided that since it was my b-day, a drink was in order. So wished my early and mid twenties adieu with a berry caipiroska.

All in all, a good birthday. Hello 27. Nice to meet you.

Favorite photographers

I love my wedding photographer. She's amazing, wonderful, and so so much fun. If you're in the K.C. area, check out Allure Imagery. They made me see photography in a whole new light.

But now I'm discovering photographers outside my little zone. My sister's friend recently turned me on to the work of Audrey Hannah, who's based in Denver. And now what does my sister want for her birthday in June: money for family portraits with Audrey Hannah. I think I might have to get behind that deal if she'll let Jonathan and I sneak in on pictures.

I've always dreamed of having all my family get together with a photographer roving about capturing the moments. Maybe it'll be a dream come true. Some day.

Tell me: Who are your favorite photographers?

Facebook pressure

Sure, I blog. I enjoy it. It's a litte space where I can tell you what's going on in my life, maybe post some pretty pictures, and possibly write something inspirational. Wax on and on about my yoga path. Share with you my recently found music loves. But apparently, blogging is not enough. I'm told I need to get on Facebook. I've been repeatedly asked if I'm on Facebook.

Here's my concern: Recently, it's come to my attention that because of what I do professionally, I'm easy to find. (Go ahead and Google me.) People know my name, especially since it's very unique. A conversation during knitting group came up about how the professional self and social self need to be one on Facebook, because it's not just your friends looking you up anymore, it's your coworkers, your would-be employers, your church. Anyone. You have to watch what you say and what kind of persona you put out there. And I have a hard time practicing self-restraint. Not that I would go crazy and post obscene pictures of myself.

So I'm debating. Weighing whether I want to add yet another thing to monitor, where, unlike this blog where I have a certain amount of anonymity, I'd have to monitor my actions. But everyone seems to be doing it.

A noodle kind of weekend

Les Leventhal came to Darling Yoga this weekend. And I was lucky enough to take three of his workshop sessions, starting with Friday night candlelight vinyasa class where I sweated like I didn't know I could. It was amazing, hard, and so much fun. Today, I went to two session: hips and twists, and yoga and recovery. There was more sweating in the first class with pretzel poses that look like fun, and maybe someday I'll get to do, but instead, I just savored what I could do and kept up with my breathing. In the second class, I decided I needed some restoration after such intensity that I'm not quite used to. Although I've made much inroads into my daily practice (yes, I go to yoga daily) in the 7 months that I've been practicing at Darling, I still have miles to go in my strength.

This evening I went to dinner at Blue Koi with some yogis who also went to the workshop, Les, and owners Emily and Victor. I think the highlight was seeing people you've only seen in one environment, and in a certain kind of clothes, in a relaxed, yoga-free atmosphere and street clothes. I was lucky enough to sit by the star, Les, and chat with him throughout dinner about his life and his yoga path.

I'm still really new and young to the yoga crowd, so it was interesting to hear the yogis around the table talk, find out what they eat, and hear insight into their daily lives beyond the mat. I ordered tofu (when in Rome) with a black bean sauce and brown rice. Although I've had tofu before, it's not something that's part of my daily diet. It might be after this. It was so yummy!

If you're ever in San Francisco and want to go to a yoga class taught by a teacher who knows how to embrace the power of yoga while still infusing it with a sense of humor and lightness, look up Les. Or better yet, come take his workshop when he's in town again.

Now I need to get some hand yoga done. My knitting seriously needs some attention.

A poser in the best way

Yesterday I got quite the surprise upon arriving to yoga. I had the case of the Mondays. It had been a rough and long day in my mind, and I wasn't sure yoga was even going to do the trick. When I entered the studio, not too much crossed my mind when Emily (one of the owners of Darling Yoga) popped up from behind the counter with a big grin on her face. I didn't think too much about it, except: She's in a very good mood for a Monday. This is why I need to be a yoga teacher! Instant bliss! So grinned back. I didn't catch on that she was hiding something: "I have a present for you!"

At first I was taken back and confused. "Your sister called, and I know it's going to be your birthday soon. So I have present from your sister and one from me and Victor."

Suddenly, Monday was looking a lot better. Presents! From some of the most amazing and inspiring people in my little circle of life. And then it got better. Check it out:


That's the poster t-shirt I've been eyeing, oh, I'd say half a year. Capricious kept trying to talk me into buying it, but [gulp] it was too pricey for my fugal mindedness—$45! Now it's mine, thanks to her! Now I have something to wear to my yoga workshop on Friday night. I hope "poser" really sets the mood for a candlelight vinyasa class.

Oh, and should you want to pop on by to my apartment, you'll be greeted with some beautiful-smelling incense that Emily and Victor gave me along with a incense holder. Ode to inspiration.

I just hope Jonathan likes it. It's already going to be a great 27th birthday, and it's still more than a week away.