 |
| this is what it felt like (credit here) |
 |
| the 26 asanas of bikram yoga (credit here) |
have you tried (or would you try) hot yoga?
tgif
don't forget to enter the shabby apple dress giveaway {here}.
 |
| shabby apple giveaway |
Friday, May 6, 2011
hot mess
i'm in a room. it's oppressively hot. over 100 degrees. my muscles are tensed. my heart is pounding. sweat is pouring off me. sounds like torture? kinda. hot as hell? hell, yeah! and, i paid for this. (am i crazy?)
welcome to hot yoga. ok, it's not nearly as bad as my intro sounds, but it is hot. damn hot. this past week was my first-ever hot yoga (a.k.a. bikram yoga) class. and it was, well, hot. usually i lean towards flowing yoga - like vinyasa - where you fluidly transition through poses with moments of hold. hot yoga is much more structured. it's a series of 26 asanas or poses - all of which you do exactly 2x. it's about the hold - not the flow. and sinking into the heat (of the room & the burn in your muscles).
it was...interesting. i definitely will go to another class sometime, but i'm not a convert yet. i still love my lovely flowing yoga : )
have you tried (or would you try) hot yoga?
tgif
have you tried (or would you try) hot yoga?
tgif
Thursday, May 5, 2011
cinco de mayo
hola! and happy cinco de mayo. not only is it cinco de mayo - official holiday of margaritas & guac - but it's also our 6 month mark. exactly 6 months from today craig and i will be saying "i do"! very exciting : )
in the spirit of celebration, i thought i'd share my super easy "guacamole" recipe. it's not really mexican guac in the traditional sense - you'll see why. but it's delicious and so simple to prepare. we eat it on chicken, turkey burgers, vegetarian chili, fish, you name it.
1 avocado
1 tsp chopped garlic
1-2 tsp grated parmesan (i know it's not mexican, but it makes it taste good)
scoop avocado into a bowl. add in garlic & parm. mash & mix. that's it. you'll love it. for a bonus, add a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime.
how about an easy margarita recipe, just as a bonus?
1 bottle skinnygirl margarita
open.
pour 4 oz over ice.
sip.
smile.
so, happy cinco de mayo! and don't forget to enter the shabby apple dress giveaway. you have until next wednesday to enter!
in the spirit of celebration, i thought i'd share my super easy "guacamole" recipe. it's not really mexican guac in the traditional sense - you'll see why. but it's delicious and so simple to prepare. we eat it on chicken, turkey burgers, vegetarian chili, fish, you name it.
1 avocado
1 tsp chopped garlic
1-2 tsp grated parmesan (i know it's not mexican, but it makes it taste good)
scoop avocado into a bowl. add in garlic & parm. mash & mix. that's it. you'll love it. for a bonus, add a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime.
 |
| credit {here} |
how about an easy margarita recipe, just as a bonus?
1 bottle skinnygirl margarita
open.
pour 4 oz over ice.
sip.
smile.
so, happy cinco de mayo! and don't forget to enter the shabby apple dress giveaway. you have until next wednesday to enter!
 |
| enter giveaway {here} |
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
shabby apple giveaway!!!
i am so excited to be hosting a shabby apple giveaway today. i have long-admired shabby apple's women's dresses - their throwback fashions and vintage silhouettes are just my style : ) and not only are they giving away one of their lovely dresses, they are offering all lifestyle maven readers a special discount! enter the coupon code lifestylemaven10off at checkout for 10% off your purchase!
not familiar with shabby apple style? check out some of their fabulous dresses below.
and now, for the moment you've all been waiting for. a glimpse at the giveaway dress...
yes, that's right. shabby apple is giving the phenomenal moon river dress to one lucky lifestyle maven reader!
good luck!!! can't get enough free stuff?! be sure to check out my t-shirt necklace giveaway over at express-o!
not familiar with shabby apple style? check out some of their fabulous dresses below.
 |
| fifth avenue dress |
 |
| bellissima dress |
 |
| jitterbug dress |
 |
| bernini dress |
 |
| moon river dress (i.e. the GIVEAWAY dress) |
ok, so how exactly do you enter for a chance to win? it's easy!
follow lifestyle maven & leave a comment below
for extra entries*:
- follow lifestyle maven on twitter
- like lifestyle maven on facebook
- like shabby apple on facebook
- tweet about this giveaway
- tweet about this giveaway
- grab a lifestyle maven button (below) for your blog
*please leave a separate comment for each entry
the giveaway is open to u.s. residents only. the winner will be chosen at random next wednesday, may 11th, 2011.
Monday, May 2, 2011
simple things to change your world
ever notice how the most simple, basic things can change your world? i think one of the most rewarding things you can do for for yourself is check-in and recenter. here are some things i do to connect with my inner maven : )
- move – just 15 minutes of exercise can change your day…and your life. i love starting my day with movement – especially yoga. it sets me right with the world and with myself. if an exercise routine is new to you, start small. incorporate a manageable amount of fitness into your week (like 15-20 minutes, 3 days a week), and grow from there. don’t beat yourself up about what you should do – just do something. some exercise is better than no exercise at all.
- eat – fresh fruits and veggies are not just good for you, they really and truly make you feel good too, inside & out. when you feed your body wholesome, nutritious foods, it thanks you. i know from personal experience that the better I eat, the better I feel. i don’t need any diet plan or book to tell what to (or not to) eat. my body tells me. now i just have to focus on really listening : )
- sleep – getting 7-8 hours of sleep is the backbone of any truly healthy lifestyle. without restorative sleep, your body is not prepared to tackle the day – mentally or physically. How can your body expect to focus let alone workout or be productive if it’s lacking something so essential?! often we have to get up early for work, so sleeping in is rarely an option, but shifting your bedtime a bit earlier may be all it takes to make you feel refreshed when morning time comes. (plenty of sleep and still struggle to get out of bed? craig, my fiancé, swears by this trick. drink a glass of water upon waking. he says it clears the morning “fog”.)
- read – for our jobs, we often are reading all day long. but that’s not the kind of reading i’m talking about. how long has it been since you’ve read something that enriches your life? or read for pleasure? probably too long. lately, i’ve “rediscovered” my love of reading and have incorporated it into my pre-bedtime routine. settling in with a good book and losing yourself in its pages is such a treat and a great way to wind down from a long day.
what simple thing has changed your world?
- move – just 15 minutes of exercise can change your day…and your life. i love starting my day with movement – especially yoga. it sets me right with the world and with myself. if an exercise routine is new to you, start small. incorporate a manageable amount of fitness into your week (like 15-20 minutes, 3 days a week), and grow from there. don’t beat yourself up about what you should do – just do something. some exercise is better than no exercise at all.
 |
| credit {here} |
- sleep – getting 7-8 hours of sleep is the backbone of any truly healthy lifestyle. without restorative sleep, your body is not prepared to tackle the day – mentally or physically. How can your body expect to focus let alone workout or be productive if it’s lacking something so essential?! often we have to get up early for work, so sleeping in is rarely an option, but shifting your bedtime a bit earlier may be all it takes to make you feel refreshed when morning time comes. (plenty of sleep and still struggle to get out of bed? craig, my fiancé, swears by this trick. drink a glass of water upon waking. he says it clears the morning “fog”.)
 |
| credit {here} |
what simple thing has changed your world?
Thursday, April 28, 2011
flourish
one of my favorite magazines is whole living. they always have such great tips, advice and articles that encourage balanced, healthy living for both the body and the soul. if you haven't ever picked up a copy, it's worth perusing...
the may 2011 issue had an interesting article about happiness - "it's time to flourish". the piece said that there are 5 key components that constitute the relative level of happiness in our lives. interesting.
positive emotion - "happiness's useful core [...] an energizing force that drives us toward the sweeter things in life"
engagement - "when we're truly engrossed in a task that demands our attention, our sense of self recedes and times feels as if it has slowed"
relationships - "our bonds with others are the best antidote to the downs of life"
meaning - "belonging to and serving something that you believe is bigger than the self"
accomplishment - "doing something notable and being acknowledged [...] for others it means setting and achieving purely personal goals"
i never really dissected happiness like it was something logical and scientific. it often seems more elusive than that...but the above breakdown seems to make sense. too often, it can feel like our happiness is out of our control. but, if you think about it keeping in mind the 5 elements, happiness is completely within our control. we define our happiness - and our lives for that matter - by what we engage in, the people we spend our time with and the meaning we give to it. it's our creation. how inspiring. so, be happy : )
how do you create your happiness?
 |
| www.wholeliving.com |
positive emotion - "happiness's useful core [...] an energizing force that drives us toward the sweeter things in life"
engagement - "when we're truly engrossed in a task that demands our attention, our sense of self recedes and times feels as if it has slowed"
relationships - "our bonds with others are the best antidote to the downs of life"
meaning - "belonging to and serving something that you believe is bigger than the self"
accomplishment - "doing something notable and being acknowledged [...] for others it means setting and achieving purely personal goals"
 |
| credit {here} |
how do you create your happiness?
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
the secret to seared tuna
last night on my way home from work, i stopped at this great little fish market. they always have beautiful fillets of the freshest fish and seafood. we've fallen in love with their chilean sea bass, tilapia and decadent lump crab. (see crab cake recipe here) but, last night, their massive tuna steaks caught my eye...
despite being very comfortable in the kitchen, fish used to scare me. it seemed difficult to cook, and i would psych myself out of buying it. but, i've realized, since frequenting the little fish market, that the freshness and quality makes a huge difference. their fish is sooo much better than what you'll find at the grocery store counter.
the players:
2 sushi grade tuna steaks
soy & teriyaki
grainy mustard
brown sugar
garlic
orange marmalade
vidalia onion
olive oil
(romaine & avocado)
anyway, when i got home, i marinated the tuna steaks in a bit of soy & teriyaki mixed with grainy mustard, brown sugar, garlic and orange marmalade. not too much, but enough to flavor it.
then i sauteed some vidalia onions in a teaspoon of olive oil...and then flavored them with some soy and teriyaki as well.
once the onions were done, i pushed them to the sides of the pan to make room for the tuna steaks. i drizzled in a bit more olive oil and then added the tuna. i seared the steaks for about 1 minute on each side. they didn't need much time, because they were "sushi grade" tuna, meaning better eaten super rare. so, DO NOT overcook high-quality tuna steaks. it destroys their texture and flavor. (tuna actually tastes fishier the more you cook it. strange, but true.)
once done, i served them with shredded romaine and mashed avocado seasoned with minced garlic. (and with skinny girl margaritas...) omg. yum.
see, cooking fish isn't that bad after all... plus, it's delicious & super healthy! bonus!
despite being very comfortable in the kitchen, fish used to scare me. it seemed difficult to cook, and i would psych myself out of buying it. but, i've realized, since frequenting the little fish market, that the freshness and quality makes a huge difference. their fish is sooo much better than what you'll find at the grocery store counter.
the players:
2 sushi grade tuna steaks
soy & teriyaki
grainy mustard
brown sugar
garlic
orange marmalade
vidalia onion
olive oil
(romaine & avocado)
anyway, when i got home, i marinated the tuna steaks in a bit of soy & teriyaki mixed with grainy mustard, brown sugar, garlic and orange marmalade. not too much, but enough to flavor it.
then i sauteed some vidalia onions in a teaspoon of olive oil...and then flavored them with some soy and teriyaki as well.
once the onions were done, i pushed them to the sides of the pan to make room for the tuna steaks. i drizzled in a bit more olive oil and then added the tuna. i seared the steaks for about 1 minute on each side. they didn't need much time, because they were "sushi grade" tuna, meaning better eaten super rare. so, DO NOT overcook high-quality tuna steaks. it destroys their texture and flavor. (tuna actually tastes fishier the more you cook it. strange, but true.)
once done, i served them with shredded romaine and mashed avocado seasoned with minced garlic. (and with skinny girl margaritas...) omg. yum.
see, cooking fish isn't that bad after all... plus, it's delicious & super healthy! bonus!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
the art of letting go
“let go of the parts of life that you honestly don’t want”
what a simple statement. so elegant in its poignant conciseness. yet how many of us really & truly embrace this concept? whether it’s that ugly teapot from aunt mildred or a bad habit that’s compromising our health, letting go is hard. we feel guilty. we feel stuck. we feel comfortable with the way things are…even if we know a change would serve us better.
just think how freeing it would be if we rid ourselves of all the crap that is holding us back and weighing us down. our cluttered closets, our addiction to junk food, our incessant worries. we all know that these things inhibit us. they strap us down and keep us from our fabulousity – our full potential of happiness & health. so, why don’t we just let go? because we’re scared? probably. because change is hard? well, yes…sometimes. but, if you let go of the things you honestly don’t want, it makes space in your life for all the wonderful things you love and enjoy. and with all the junk cleared, you can begin to appreciate the beauty that was already there, waiting to be uncovered.
so, take a (mini) leap. donate the teapot and try an apple instead of a bag of chips for your afternoon snack. i guarantee you’ll feel better, and you’ll begin to tap into your inner maven as you move one step closer to being effortlessly fabulous…
what are you going to let go?
what a simple statement. so elegant in its poignant conciseness. yet how many of us really & truly embrace this concept? whether it’s that ugly teapot from aunt mildred or a bad habit that’s compromising our health, letting go is hard. we feel guilty. we feel stuck. we feel comfortable with the way things are…even if we know a change would serve us better.
 |
| credit {here} |
 |
| credit {here} |
so, take a (mini) leap. donate the teapot and try an apple instead of a bag of chips for your afternoon snack. i guarantee you’ll feel better, and you’ll begin to tap into your inner maven as you move one step closer to being effortlessly fabulous…
what are you going to let go?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
