In Pursuit of Baked Falafel

Got home after midnight and got to sleep after 1:00 a.m. Woke up around 6 a.m. then went back to sleep. Willed myself out of bed at 10, headed to Zumba and then, after Zumba, met with Rosie and her little pumpkin for lunch. It's kind of funny that I've been to Frida's three times but I've only eaten there once. The first time that I went they were on spring break and I didn't know it and the next time Rosie and I didn't realize that they were closed on Sundays.

Baked falafel for me...

Rosie & "Pumpkin"

After lunch risked going to Whole Foods during the middle of the day because I thought, for sure, they would have Napa cabbage, wrong, and the bok choy looked pitiful. Headed home and had a much needed cup of coffee...

Finally installed the refurbished Chromecast that I bought. Love it. Went to the international store close to me and found Napa cabbage and short bok choy.

For the self-care portion of the program, took a bath and finished reading The House of Tomorrow.

My laugh of the day came from Jessamyn Stanley, a self-described Fat Femme Yogi.

Jessamyn can be a little too ranty for me but she hit the nail on the head with her "Fat people for the fucking win" today.

Also thought what she said about bodies in the post below is poignant.

I'm not sure there's a way to express how much this photo means to me. Here's the thing- I can't tell you how many bigger bodied people say they can't practice #inversions bc of their body weight. And they see someone like my boo @eunseongyoga & they're like "Yeaaaah yoga might be for that girl but it's DEFINITELY not for me." But even when we don't think our bodies like alike, THEY ACTUALLY LOOK EXACTLY THE SAME. I mean, Eun Seong & I look essentially the same in this photo. Sure, different haircuts/body types/skin tones, but still- we're at an anatomical meeting point. And as a society we go much further when we celebrate our similarities rather than obsessing over our differences. That's probably the most important thing I'll take away from being in Dubai. In America, we're taught to think that we're the best and everyone else is beneath us. You can dress it up however you want, but that's the reality. And the main thing I keep noticing over and over again is that all humans are exactly the fucking same. All of us- every single one. And the problems start when we see ourselves as being different from one another.  Anyway, I'm pretty sure @eunseongyoga (& maybe you, too) is looking at this caption like "....DA FUCK IS THIS BITCH TALKIN' ABOUT WE WERE JUST DOIN HEADSTANDS, CHILL OUT." But check it out- traveling is cool, and yoga is rad as fuck, but none of it means shit if we're not gonna attempt to see the bigger picture. In my opinion, all of this is absolutely worthless otherwise. 💯 Also, #poc practicing yoga is essentially all I need in this world. 🙏🏾🙏🏾 Leggings- @mandukayoga

A photo posted by Jessamyn (@mynameisjessamyn) on Mar 18, 2016 at 1:52pm PDT

Nixing Yoga, Not

Yes, yes...it's a Jamaica towel.

It was short fuse Friday for me and that was before I got to work.

Knew that I needed yoga but was tempted to go straight home after work. Nixing yoga was not very good self-care and I also thought of something that Rosie told me once when I said that I was crabby and, therefore, going to yoga. That's what it's there for, she said.

And, so, I went to restorative yoga. Liz told us to start one way with two bolsters on the ground  -- if we were feeling over stimulated and to place a block underneath a bolster etc. if we were feeling depleting. I went with the set-up that would help with feelings of depletion and I definitely felt better after emerging from that pratice.

The babying paid off  because my ankle is better. I went swimming today and it felt so good but I stopped at 16 laps because I didn't want to push my luck.

Hopefully, luck will help me find my new glasses which I had up until abou 6:00 p.m...

Joy Would Let Me In

Decisions, Decis

Barely made it to FriYay! yoga on time. Had a conversation with several coworkers about Lona's and left later than planned. The traffic seemed extra heavy and the lights extra long. All the time, though, I knew that Joy would let me in if I were late. Still, I don't like to be late...

My balance was off and I seemed to find many things funny. When Joy said that you could do uttanasana by the water cooler, I laughed and laughed because I imagined Rosie, who also struggled to get to FriYay! on time, and myself executing uttanasana and I also thought about the 'Fugee who put the kibosh on my stability ball at work. People already think you're interesting as it is, she said. Doing uttanasana in a common area would just seal the deal.

Joy also talked about how, in this frenetic world, being calm is like a superpower. I laughed at that too even though I know it's a superpower that I possess.

Rosie and I headed to Lona's after yoga. Only, Lona's is small and the joint was packed so we headed to Lulu's and had Buddha bowls. Rosie used her chopsticks and I did not even ask for any.

After Lulu's, Rosie said she felt like having tea. I felt like having coffee. We wandered into a gelato place where we got gelato. Rosie also got chai but I didn't have room for anything after my Mayan chocolate/tiramisu combo.

Looked at Rosie's pictures from a recent trip and when I got to pictures of the Great Wall of China couldn't help but think of Karl from "An Idiot Abroad" -- It's not a great wall. It's just an okay wall.

Wouldn't mind seeing the giant Buddha and doing Tai Chi in the park.

Don't Be Afraid

Climbing, moving and Zumba created the perfect storm for my quadriceps.

Attempted bridge pose in Gloria's class and had to quickly come down. My sore quads weren't having it.

Ear-catcher from Gloria's class:

Don't be afraid to take your foot off the gas pedal and coast.

Went from Gloria's class, along with Alison and Tammy (First Lady of the First Couple of Yoga) and went to a meditative flow class.

Rosie, one of my colleagues and sometime yoga buddy, was also there. Yoga is all about your mat and what you and only you are doing on your mat but it was nice to have Rosie to my left, Alison to my right and Tammy behind me.

Yoga is really good but yoga with friends is extra special.

Ear-catcher from Joy's class as we went into a forward fold:

There is nothing to prove. There is nothing to obtain...

We were all pretty mellow after class. Later on, went for a walk since the weather is so nice. Didn't cook anything so went to Crazy Bowls and Wraps. Looked and looked at the description of the Mediterranean wrap and didn't remember olives being in the mix. Looked again and realized that the falafel is no longer part of the sandwich. Crazy Bowls was one of the few places that sold baked falafel. No more...

Lovely Day

Rolled out of bed, gathered fruit, made a smoothie, attached bike rack to car, applied sun screen, maneuvered through all manner of downtown detours and placed my mat under the Arch at 9:05.

The teacher, Holly, was into a lot of things including Qigong and I really liked this movement where you kind of let your hands hang while you lift your arms then you separate your arms, bring them back together etc.

At the end of yoga practice, we made a huge circle and did om after om after om. My attention span is at about a one om count.

Chitchatted with Alison, April and Rosie then Alison and I made a quick right turn then left and hit the Riverfront Trail. Well, not before this guy in a yellow jersey noticed that Alison's rear tire was under inflated. He pulled his floor pump out of the car and put air in Alison's tire. Yeah, I'm not that hardcore. My floor pump is in the basement and I have no idea where the compact pump is at.

Yeah, that would be my finger.

Really like this picture of Rosie -- for some reason.

Bikers

Bird

Oh yeah, the 'Fugee has finally gotten into yoga.

The 'Fugee did her exercises while we watched Modern Family last night and, for some reason, this particular exercise made me laugh over and over. I'm going to blame it on a very challenging day at work. 

*P.S. 'Fugee, Rosie says that she misses you...

I Have Yoga Guilt or Stuff People Say To Me

When I look at you, I have yoga guilt. 

Rosie

You are muscular. 

Aunt's friend

Whenever I hear the word yoga, I feel guilty.

Sarah

You are strong. 

Jeanne to me after I effortlessly picked up her massage table and placed it on a carrier.

Maybe I'll look like the folks on your Yoga Journal calendar in 10 years... 

One of my colleagues on trying to work out the plantar fasciitis kinks...

Me: I can't believe that I organized a yoga party.

Hazira: You can't believe it?

Me: You have Zumba and yoga at your clubhouse? What's preventing you from taking the classes?

Patti: Inertia.

That was quick.

 The lifeguard to me after I exited the pool at lap 15.

Can someone tell me why this woman has this book?

A question that Hazira posed, more to the universe than to me, when she spotted the book below.

Oh my God, you still look the same.

Dale, Irma J. & Rhonda

You're strong. 

Elle as she gave me tips during triangle pose...

Lifted

Still feeling lifted after the mass gathering of yogis that was Seventh-Inning Stretch.

People continue to share pictures which just makes me maintain a buzz...

Rolled out of bed with hardly any time to spare and headed to Gloria's yoga class.

Heads down. Hips up., Gloria reminded us as we went into downward facing dog...

Gloria closed out class with something similar to: I honor the place in you which is of love, light, peace and joy. When you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me, we are one.

Love that philosophy...

Alison, a yogi-mate, noticed that I was still buzzing from Seventh-Inning Stretch said that she often maintains her buzz by going to workshops. I told her that I often think about workshops but when I see certain topics, I haven't felt strong enough about the content to attend but Alison will keep me in the loop if she sees anything of interest going on with her yoga tribe...

Rosie got a really good picture as we entered the stadium for Seventh-Inning.

Cindy shared these pictures with me and I'm particularly moved by the savasana one.

I spy Jeremy, Gloria and Alison.

Ah, savasana...

The Ultimate Outdoor Yoga Experience: Seventh-Inning Stretch

Amazing.

What?... Seventh-Inning Stretch
Where?...Busch Stadium
Sponsor?...Lululemon

I enjoyed everything about practicing yoga with 1,499 people -- from the collective Om to the weather -- just beautiful.

It was even cool when The Harlem Shake came on and everybody got silly with it.

After savasana, one of the instructors asked us to put our right hand over our heart and left hand on our face as reminder to love ourselves then she asked us to put our left hand over our heart. That was one powerful silent meditation. Bonus: Got to spend time with some of my favorite people.

During savasana, either Danielle or Roxanne asked us to put our palms face up -- or on our bellies if we still didn't feel grounded. I'm still flying from the event so maybe I need to ground now -- or maybe not.

Into The Stadium We Go

Cindy Minus Me (A Part of Pic That Will Never See The Light of Day)

Jeremy Getting His Stretch On

Kelly Finding It Hard To Walk Away from the Bases

Me and Gloria -- Found the Night Scene Mode Too Late

Picture from Lululemon Plaza Frontenac's Facebook Page

Rosie and Kelly

St. Louis Post Dispatch iParty

 P.S. That baseball grass is incredible...I think that we all could have walked barefoot indefinitely.