Simple Joys of the Week, April 5th Edition

First Friday in April! New month, new adventures, new SJOTW. 

I saw a funny e-card on Facebook yesterday that said, "We're having a lovely winter this spring," and I thought it was very appropriate--however, it also got me thinking that the weather is just as unpredictable as life, that we can never know exactly what to expect, and I think that it's a great  reminder (and lesson) for all of us; we might as well just embrace it! 

So anywho, lets get on to our simple, sensory joys from the past week., shall we? What made you extra happy? Here are the little things that brought me pleasure...

HEAR: "Closer" by Chic Gamine
I'm totally in love with Chic Gamine, a group that I learned about this week and immediately began listening to on repeat. Every song is slightly different, they're influenced by a bunch of various styles of music (you can tell!), and they're a super talented group of ladies. You can listen to their most well-known (and downloaded) song, "Closer," below, and can listen to a few more of their songs on their website. 

SEE:  "Stop Instagramming Your Perfect Life" on Relevantmagazine.com
My brother sent me this article yesterday saying, "it sounds like something you would write," and OMG, was he spot on. I wish I had written this article--it is extremely witty, important, profound, and true. The basic premise? Everyone's life looks better (perfect) on social media, and it's causing a change in how we relate to each other and how we think about our own lives. You should definitely read it. Her closing statement, "Remember that the very best things in life can’t be captured in status updates." Amen!

TASTE: Gluten-Free Pizza from Pete's New Haven Style Apizza
Um, hello world!? This week I had my first piece (er, pieces) of pizza since 2012--and it was gluten-free! Genius! I totally enjoyed every bite and relished the treat. A special thanks to Pete's in Clarendon and to Kristy for the recommendation, which she shared way back when I wrote about "How to Survive Going Gluten-Free" :)

SMELL: Spring flowers
They're coming--they are! I've gotten great joy out of watching the local flowers slowly bloom over the past week, even if they have started to aggravate my allergies ;) Listing this here may be a stretch, as I haven't actually smelled their full scent this week, but I can tell that it's coming and have loved the scent of spring in the air. Now if we can just get the temps to match the flowers blooming...

TOUCH: New Manduka Pro Mat
After 3+ years of being a total Jade Yoga Mat  devotee, I finally bit the bullet and bought the "Cadillac of yoga mats," a Manduka Pro. For those of you who have one, you know that these puppies are no joke--they weigh 7 pounds each, they're thick, they make a loud thumping noise when you roll them out on the floor, and practicing on one feels like a total luxury. It's really wide, really long, it's cushy, it's magical. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Jades, but after going through 2 in the past few years, I decided I needed a mat with a lifetime warranty. Loving it. 

Other SJOTW? Spending time with the amazing Tranquil Space teachers at our annual retreat last weekend, finishing two painting commissions and starting a new one (yay!), announcing my first e-course, drinks with another TS crew on Wednesday evening, fabulous yoga classes, and planning for our trip to San Diego (we leave Sunday morning!!!!). What made you smile over the past 7 days?

I hope your weekend is full o' simple joys.

Namaste!
Mary Catherine