Okay, readers, I need your help. I don't call on you often, but today, I need your input (and don't worry--it's definitely not a life or death situation)... 

So here's the deal--I've been going back and forth about what to do for our flowers/florist for our wedding. I know it's not until October, but booking the "florist" (in whatever form that takes) for our wedding is the last big vendor/"to-do" to mark off of the list before we start to get down to the nitty gritty planning details. Since our wedding is already in a beautiful garden (so lots of green and flowers all around us!) AND since flowers--and especially bouquets and centerpieces--can be one of the most expensive parts of a wedding budget, I'm playing with the idea of doing alternative (or non-live-flower) bouquets. 

As I mentioned in my last wedding planning post, I'm definitely going to do alternative centerpieces of some sort (arrangements with one or more of the following: vintage books, mason jars, candles, vintage photos, etc), so I think it would be fun to continue the "alternative" theme right into the flower choice. Therefore, I've posted some of the ideas that I really like below. These include mostly vintage fabric and paper bouquets, and in my mind, definitely go along with the "vintage southern garden" theme that I think we're going with. If we didn't do an alternative bouquet idea, I still don't think we'll book a florist. Never say never, but I think we would be completely happy with wildflower arrangements put together by a family friend... 

So, what do I need from you? Your vote! 

Please help me by letting me know, A) which of the following (if any), you like the most, and B) if you think I should go with this idea, or stick with real, live flowers and go the wildflower bouquet route. You can post your votes to comments or comment on FB and I will be super-appreciative :) As you look through these, please keep in mind that I could get most of these bouquets custom-made with colors and ribbons that match my wedding color scheme. 

 Thanks for your help!!!! My favorite selections are below (and are numbered in captions). What do you think? No pressure, but I'm counting on *YOUR* feedback in order to make my decision...

Can't wait to hear your thoughts! I'm thinking that if I do go with one of these "vendors," I'll probably have them do all of my "flowers" for the wedding--including bridesmaid bouquets, small handmade flowers to go with the centerpieces, etc. 

Namaste and thanks for looking and helping!
Mary Catherine

Big news for all yogi travelers everywhere (and especially in San Francisco!)--the world's first airport yoga room opened last week! I know, I'm 5 days late in posting (as it officially opened last Thursday), but I still think that this is big news worth celebrating. Today Travel writes that "the new yoga room is bathed in calming blue light, with a floating wall said to symbolize a buoyant spirit and enlightened mind. Lights in the room are low and warm — to counteract the bright concourse — and loaner mats are supplied." Sounds pretty great for an airport, right? 

Check out a few images of the yoga room below (I love the lotus-inspired signs!): 

Read more about the space and watch a quick news story about it here. 

What's your favorite pose to do when traveling? Mine is pigeon pose (I mean come on, are you surprised?). It just feels AMAZING after being cooped up in those tiny seats for so long... 

Anyways, so exciting! Now if only we could get a yoga room at DCA ;)

Namaste,
Mary Catherine

Guess what? I'm taking part in my very first E-Course!! Yay!

On February 1st, join moi and three other amazing Tranquil Space teachers for our first-ever TS E-Course. I'm honored and delighted to be leading the creative expression session of this course, and hope it will help to inspire some of my fellow creatives out there. Want more details? Watch a quick video about the e-course below. You can also sign up online here, so that you're all set when it launches Feb. 1st :)

_
Sounds fun, right? It's perfect for anyone wanting to learn more about the Tranquil Space Yogi Lifestyle, anyone who doesn't live nearby, but wants to connect with the studio, and/or anyone wanting to learn how to deepen your practice and take your yoga off of the mat and out into the world.

I'm excited, can you tell? Hope you have as much fun with it as I have!

Namaste,
Mary Catherine

Welcome to the end of January...can you believe it?!? 2012 is in full swing and so far it's been quite a year :) The same goes for this past week--for me, it was chock-full of fun, work, CrossFit, yoga, and painting--the PERFECT combination for this girl. So, as always, my simple, sensory joys from the last 7 days are below...I hope you've been able to enjoy similarly wonderful simple pleasures this week...

Hear: "The Winter" by Balmorhea

I know it's kind of weird to post an instrumental as my favorite song of the week, but it's a really great one. I've been using it as the first song on my yoga playlist this month (during centering), and I find it to be a great song for the beginning of class. Give it a listen and see if you agree!? I really know nothing about this band and haven't even heard any of their other songs (haven't had the time to look into them!?), but I bet the rest of their music is good, too :)

Take a listen to this song below!

See: The SuperFit Games (and all the funny t-shirts there!)

As I mentioned in my post earlier this week, I had an absolute blast watching Ben compete in the SuperFit Games. You already know that I loved the whole experience, but I also LOVED all of the hysterical CrossFit t-shirts that people were wearing--they crack me up! One of my favorites is pictured here, it says "My girl is stronger than you." Other faves? "Running Sucks." "Deadlifts and milk." And of course, my favorite of all time, "Strong is the new skinny" (I actually bought a tank that says this at SuperFit!). So yeah, really funny and made me smile. Gotta love that CrossFit humor...

Taste: Brussel Sprouts

Believe it or not, I've always loved brussel sprouts. I hadn't had them in forever, but since they're a very "trendy" food right now (isn't that funny?), I've recently had them a couple of times at restaurants and they made me really happy. So, this week Ben and I decided to steam a big batch and have them with dinner. Yes, they do stink when they're cooking (kind of like broccoli--many apologies to my college roommate for always cooking it in the room!), but wow, do they taste scrumptious and healthy! Do yourself a favor and make some soon...it's great to mix it up when it comes to veggies--it does the body good!

Smell: Eppie's Restaurant in Charlottesville

OMG. If you ever go to Charlottesville, VA, you have to eat at Eppie's. We had two meals there in the 2 days we were in town, but when Ben goes there for a week for work training (which he does once or twice per year), he eats both lunch and dinner there EVERY DAY. It's that good. Amazing soups, salads, sandwiches, and daily specials. Plus, with almost every meal you get the choice of a small pumpkin bread or cornbread loaf (!) and they are both to die for. I wish I could go there for lunch today! But honestly, it's good we don't live near Eppie's or Ben would spend our life savings eating there. Needless to say, it's a pretty yummy place. I would file it under taste, but that was already taken and their food also smells delicious :)

Touch: Paintbrush and paint

Due to a last-minute meeting cancellation, I was able to sneak in two (yes, TWO!) painting sessions this week. It was glorious! The picture to the left is a small painting that I'm going to be selling in the Tranquil Space boutique starting this weekend (yay!). I've just been having a blast creating these colorful, playful, whimsical "paintinis" (that's my name for small, fun paintings, hehe). I'm working on two more yoga-inspired pieces, and can't wait to finish them. There is NOTHING like getting lost in creative play for an entire day. Yesterday I lost track of time and painted the day away without even realizing it! The best.

So there you have it! What made you smile this past week? Try and take some time this weekend to reflect on the first month of 2012. How did it feel? What kind of tweaks can you make in your life to include more of what you loved from this past month, and less of what you didn't quite enjoy? Great weekend for a bit of reflection...

...And I have absolutely NOTHING in my planner this weekend for the first time in ages (it's crazy!?!?!), and am SO looking forward to doing whatever I feel like doing. I hope you can find a bit of time like this, as well!

Namaste,
Mary Catherine

Really cool picture. Nothing to say but WOW.

So here's to looking at things from a different perspective today
(or to turning your world upside down--in a GOOD way...)!

Namaste,
Mary Catherine

When I first came across Blue McKnight's work, I was immediately drawn in, perplexed, and wanted to know more. Her work (and especially this series, entitled "Untitled (no one you know)"), tells a story, but it's hard to know exactly what shes saying. One thing I do know, though, is that she's made some very bold decisions in putting this story together. All of the pieces are very small, oil on paper paintings, that appear to have been ripped out of a small sketchbook. There are TONS more pieces where these came from (you can see them all here), but check out a few of my favorites from this collection below...

Creativity is a wonderful thing, isn't it? Sometimes I'd like to crawl inside another artist's mind--just for a day--to see what it is that fuels and inspires them...

Namaste!
Mary Catherine

In honor of today--a random Tuesday in January--I thought that it might be fun to put together a little gallery of my favorite A-list yogis (or as YogaDork calls them, "celebriyogis"). Personally, I think it's GREAT when a magazine or website does a feature on a celebrity and their yoga practice, because if nothing else, it may pique the interest of few people--people who otherwise, may never have stepped foot on a mat--and inspire them to give yoga a try.

Now I'm not an evangelist yogi who thinks that yoga is perfect for everyone and that it "will solve all your problems" (even though it will!!! Haha), but I do think it's a great antidote for many people who live in our celebrity-crazed, paparazzi-fueled culture. So, if it takes picture of a celebrity wearing sexy clothes and doing a yoga pose (with perfect make-up and perfect hair, which is totally realistic for yoga, right?) for someone to give meditation or mindfulness a try, I'm a fan.

So now that I've gotten my little disclaimer out of the way, check out the yoga eye candy below--just for fun.
And see? Celebrities are JUST LIKE US!  They do their yoga without sweating, on stage, in heels, on the beach, covered with sand, and wearing next-to-nothing, designer threads. Just like the rest of us :)

So here are a few of my faves, spreading the power of yoga (click on an image below to enlarge and scroll through the galleries)...


1. Robert Downey Jr. (photos courtesy of MindBodyGreen)

2. Christy Turlington (images courtesy of Vogue and Vanity Fair)

3. Matthew McConaughey (images courtesy of paparazzi everywhere :)

4. Madonna (images courtesy of yogadork.com)

5. Adam Levine (images courtesy of Details)

6. Jennifer Aniston (images courtesy of US Weekly)

_
...And now you have your celebrity gossip fill + yoga inspiration for the week. I mean, if Madonna can do forearm stand ON STAGE in heels and a corset (while singing?), I should be able to bust it out at the end of class pretty soon, right?

Namaste,
Mary Catherine


P. S. Notice someone missing? I know, Sting! He's the SUPER-yogi celebrity, but I decided not to list him since everyone knows he does yoga and he is SO out there with it. If you want to see images of Sting doing yoga, google it--they're everywhere :) 

This past weekend, I spent Friday-Sunday at the SuperFit Games in Charlottesville, VA. Ben was competing (as I mentioned last week), and I had an absolute blast watching him, his friend Bobby, and all of the other people that we knew who were competing completely wipe themselves out on an hourly basis--just for the fun of it :)

Besides coming home completely exhausted despite the fact that I didn't compete (I'm thinking it's from the cheering, stressing out with Ben before and in-between the workouts, and all of the energy in the place...?), I also came back thinking about how great it is to be a part of something that you truly care about. Whether it's yoga, art, CrossFit, running, knitting, dancing, or Jiujitsu, I think that finding a community of people who care about the same thing(s) that you do is extremely important in life--and this weekend, the CrossFit community was definitely going strong...

_One of the coolest things about the competition was not watching the people who had superpower strength (although that was definitely cool!), but rather, seeing all of these people from all over come together to compete AND to cheer each other on as they all pushed themselves to the limits doing something that they love. After each workout the majority of the competitors would literally drop to the ground and just remain there, breathing, until they had the strength to get up. They were pushing their bodies to their absolute limits every single time they got up there--and each time they were encouraged and egged on by the cheers of their friends, families, and even their competitors. Despite the loud music and hard-core appearances of the athletes, it was a beautiful and uplifting community to be a part of for the weekend.

Not only was I was reminded of how important community and encouragement can be, but I was also reminded that the human body is an amazing thing. It has so much untapped potential for strength, power, and grace, and I was excited to see the ways in which people can tap into that power through a sense of focus, purpose, commitment, and community. Do I sound cheesy here? I may, but I really do love watching people perform or excel at what they truly love, and I think that the excitement of belonging to a community of people who also love what you do--and who also believe in the power of the human body--is contagious.

_It was also really enjoyable to watch Ben and Bobby over the past few days--this was their holiday season of the year, or their Christmas day, and seeing them excited, nervous, happy, and truly in their element was really, really wonderful. I am so happy that Ben has found a community and a place where he can push himself to his edge time and time again (to use some yogi language, hehe!), and can only hope that he continues to grow and learn from this community in the same way that I have grown and learned from my yoga practice and yoga community over the past few years.

To cast a wider net, I think it's really important to stop and evaluate your communities and interests every once in a while. Are they pushing you in a positive way? Are they healthy and do they truly make you happy? Are you finding a way to challenge yourself, to push yourself to your "edge"--either physically or mentally--on a regular basis? If not, it may be time to try something new in search for a chance to grow and learn in a different way...

So here's to pushing yourself and connecting to *YOUR* inner strength, power, and grace.

Namaste,
Mary Catherine

Happy Friday, everyone! You know what time it is...time for SJOTW! Get excited, hehe ;)

My simple, sensory joys from the past 7 days are below. Feel free to post yours to comments!

Hear: "Welcome Home, Son" by Radical Face

Another song that's been on my yoga playlist this month, I'm now a total fan of Radical Face. They're a great band and I think this is a great yoga song (although yes, I know it's from 2007--so those of you who have been listening to them forever can definitely tell me that I'm waaaay behind). Would you believe it that they're another Pandora find? I'm obsessed :)

Anyways, take a listen below!

See: Midnight in Paris

Ben and I watched this movie last weekend, and we both loved it. It's totally clever and if you go into it without knowing what you're watching (we both expected a typical Woody Allen, twisted romantic relationship plot), then you'll be totally surprised in a really good way. You definitely have to be a fan of Woody Allen films to like it, but it's totally witty, has gorgeous cinematography and city shots of Paris, and it's really funny. Plus, I think that Owen Wilson did an amazing job in the role. I definitely recommend it (and gentleman, Ben also LOVED it. Maybe more than I did!). 

Taste: Chia Seeds

No idea what I'm talking about? Same here. Literally had some of them for the first time this morning (given to me by our house guests, who swear by them), and was intrigued. They don't necessarily taste good--but they don't taste bad, either (!)--and they're supposed to be a total superfood (if there is such a thing...). So I'm sold. I'll buy some and start eating them every day and report back on my thoughts.

Smell: The scent of competition ;)

Competition has been the theme of our household this week, as Ben prepares for the SuperFit Games in Charlottesville, VA this weekend. One of his best friends from Cape Cod and his wife have come down to join (& compete!), as well, so we're looking forward to a really fun, CrossFit-filled weekend. See? As I mentioned on Tuesday, it's a good thing I really like it ;)

Touch: THIS new top from Ann Taylor Loft= comfiest thing ever

Bought this top last weekend and wore it for the first time this past week, and I LOVE it. It's the perfect yoga layering top (over a tank and leggings) and I'm now thinking that I should go back and buy it in the other color, as I can see it quickly becoming one of my yoga wardrobe staples. But yes, super-comfy top made of amazingly soft and cuddly fabric. Plus I love me a big collar--just ask Ben (who thinks they're super weird ;)


I hope your weekend is a blast! I think mine will probably consist of a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, but hopefully also some PRs, wins, and big smiles, as well :)

Namaste,
Mary Catherine

Omg! Please take a look at these amazing art prints (below) made from original oil paintings by the artist Michele Maule. I adore them and am definitely going to have to buy one ASAP. Simple, witty, gorgeous.
Why did no one tell me about her sooner? Unacceptable...

So cute, right? See all of her amazing work and pick up an affordable print of your favorite in her etsy shop, here.

Namaste!
Mary Catherine