Best Ottoman Award (a Story of Relaxation and CSN Stores)

On these winter days, I often get home from work feeling tired and ready to kick back. After trudging through the snow, I'm ready to get inside. It's so nice to finally warm up, get dinner started, and relax a bit. 

After figuring out what to cook and starting it up on the stove or in the oven, I'll generally make my way to the living room, and plop down on one of our comfy couches. The perfect moment just to be. Not figuring anything out or working on any projects, but just letting go and meditating for a minute.

For a while now, the Hubs and I have been longing for a way not only to sit back but also to put our feet up after a long day. And we got lucky: we scored a sweet ottoman from CSN Stores that goes perfectly in the living room! 

I cozy up and immediately feel like this:

Full relaxation achieved! Slippered feet on an ottoman. And one that's attractive and has great storage, too!

See, one of the best parts is that we can stuff our living room cuddle blankets in there, so it keeps the whole room tidier, too. Win-win.

I'd highly recommend checking out CSN Stores if you're in need of a new piece of furniture or decor. They've got a huge selection -- over 200 online stores where you can find everything from wall art to these Herman Miller chairs to cookware. In all my shopping there, I've had great turnaround times on shipping time, too.

CSN Stores, I award you the Best Ottoman Award -- a little footrest that's the perfect size for my living room, that was right in my price range (only about $40!), and that makes relaxation and a tidy apartment that much easier. (FYI it's this one, but in black.)

Now I don't even mind looking out the window to find the snow falling... because I know I can just curl up on the couch and know I am home for the night. :)

Who Needs a Hug?

All photos by the lovely and talented Sarah Rhoads.

Have you given your love a hug today?

Jump for love.

Escape by the water.

Get close.

Smooch too!

Be Beautiful, Keep Warm

Hallie of HalPal28 on Etsy crafts some adorable and super warm stuff. She's local, too!

Today's giveaway comes from the lovely and talented Hallie from this Etsy shop. She features hand-knit hats, scarves, and headbands that have been knit on Chicago buses. Adorable!

For the Winter Extravaganza, Hallie's offering a custom gray and chartreuse earwarmer. Perfect timing for this giveaway: we're seeing flurries in the Chicago area today!

Wonderfully inspired knits.

Here's Hallie's description of how she was inspired to make it:

The pencil sharpener in the photo was the inspiration for this vintage treasure. My grandfather recently let me dig through boxes of his things, looking for treasures. I found this magnificent old chartreuse and steel pencil sharpener, with led marks all over it. After a few days of staring at it on the shelf, I realized I had colors of yarn that matched it perfectly. I ran to my yarn chest and then held them up to the pencil sharpener, and to my delight, they were identical. 

Talk about awesome crafting inspiration!

See below to win this earwarmer.

Here's what Hallie has to say about her shop: 

Everything in my shop is hand-knit by me, all around the city of Chicago. I knit on the bus, I knit on the El, I knit on benches by the river or blankets on the beach. I try to waste almost nothing-- finding a way to reuse even the tiniest scraps of yarn, recycle vintage buttons, and package knits in paper from grocery bags or leftover muslin from window curtains. 

I am inspired by color-- especially slightly unusual color combinations. I'm also inspired by the people who wear my creations. I love the idea of people I don't know in places I've never been to wearing things that I knit. I'm hoping to someday unexpectedly run into someone wearing something I made. 

Hallie's incredible shop also features hats for men, women and babies!

Hallie will be staying local this holiday season. She's excited to experience the city of Chicago in all its dazzle and delight.

As she says, "There's so much light, spirit, and good food!" She'll be dabbling in craft shows, selling her creations in a few stores, and visiting The Elmhurst Art Museum, which now carries a few of her things.

Hallie's goal for the new year is to find a way to sell handmade items in person and meet her customers more often. 

To win the gorgeous gray and chartreuse earwarmer above, please:

• Leave a comment below with a story about how you survive the winter's cold.
• Check out Hallie's etsy shop and tell a friend about her beautiful handmade knits.
• Heart HalPal28 on etsy. If you buy something from her shop, you'll get five entries into this contest!

Also note that Hallie is offering 10% off to all Alive in the Fire readers. Just enter "YOGA2010" as a coupon code when you check out. Thanks, Hallie!
Reminder: if you click "follow" on the blog or tell a friend to follow it, you'll double your chances of winning!

 

Congrats to Shuling, who won the Water Bobble from Healthy Green Goods. Enjoy!

On the Go

Can't wait to be on the beach! First three photos via this dreamy blog.

Friday the Hubs and I leave for Puerto Rico! We're getting away from the cold and clouds and snow piles.

We're leavin' on a jet plane.

We'll be staying here. I can't wait for the party in white on a private island. Hoping we can sneak off for a sushi date + massage at the spa sometime, too. Oh, and don't forget the kayaking adventure in a bio-luminescent bay!


Dreamy happy travelers on the go. I'll be posting and thinking of you from afar. Keep your eye out for beachy posts and more giveaway fun, perhaps even from a Puerto Rico vendor or two. Ooh la la!

We'll be all smiles on the road.

Check out this sexy swimwear. Wish I had a new suit for Puerto Rico!

Finally, an exciting announcement! 

We've got a winner for the "some like it hot" yoga towel...

Congrats to Kirsten @ Bikram Yoga Journey. Enjoy your sarcastic towel!

More Than a List: Reflections on Thankfulness

Hey friends, yogis, families, people! Only a week 'til the Big Family Feast. Have you started planning your menus? Did you invite friends over?

Photo by the talented Sarah Rhoads.

Have you thought about the blessings in your life?

Bright open skies, homemade food, and mittens on the cold mornings. Relaxation. The chance to clear your mind and make it blank. Dogs that thank us just for being around. Friends at work who compliment our scarves. Fuzzy covers. Cuddles, unexpected hugs, and the camera lenses that catch them.


Today, I choose to be thankful for what I have.


The hardest part about gratitude is that it demands thankfulness not only for what's beautiful, easy, predictable, fun. We must also be grateful for our troubles, our pain, our sorrow.


Each of these make us stronger. We are reminded of this every time we practice Bikram yoga.


"Choose to relax," as my studio's owner says. "What if you chose to enjoy the posture rather than suffer?"


What would happen if you chose not to suffer?

Sarah's work inspires me to think about what real love really looks like. There's not always a smile in frame.

Think of the difference it would make if we applied this philosophy to our everyday lives, our work, our relationships.


The other night I was feeling stressed about money stuff and I was cuddling with the Hubs while we talked through it. I turned to him, both of us with a look of anguish on our faces, staring into each other. What if I just let it go? I thought, realizing this was the only way out.


Today, looking back, I am grateful for the struggle. I am so glad that I have to work for what I have. I am thankful that I wasn't born a millionaire, because I enjoy the satisfaction of earning my own paycheck. And as much as it can be a challenge sometimes to make ends meet (and to resist the urge to spend on special treats), in the end, the difficulty provides the reward.


At the start of this holiday season, I am reminded that we tumble along not by luck, but by hard work, grace, and patience.


By exerting 100%, we earn the right to relax 100%.


By enduring pain, we grow stronger.


By thanking ourselves and others, we earn the right to take pride in our work (not boost our egos, but take humble pride in our effort, not only our accomplishments).


And we earn the chance to indulge ourselves. And eat a bunch of delicious food, more than our bellies are even wishing for.

My beautiful cousin Joelle took this one last year at Thanksgiving. Yum!

Come Up Higher On the Toes

Above: my beautiful friend Bailey executing a fantastic toe stand on the beach.

Below: cowboy boots are great for tromping in leaves, but not for doing toe stand.

Toe stand is one of those crazy postures that doesn't seem possible at all when you first start Bikram yoga. I love it because the entire standing series prepares you for it: pure concentration, only the breath and the body, intense focus. 

Cowboy boots: fun to wear year round.

Toe stand: an under-appreciated master posture. It stretches the feet, the heel, the mind.

Cowboy boots: they give you incredible ass-kicking power!

How is your toe stand going? Does it make you feel powerful and centered? Which postures help calm your mind?

The Secret Garden

This is Cassi, my beautiful botanist friend.

When winter temperatures hit, I sometimes dream about visiting tropical faraway lands and tromping around in beautiful, lush gardens like this.

My lovely friend Cassi, recently posted on her blog about her adventure to the Garfield Park Conservatory with her Plant Evolution & Diversity class. Looks like a pretty rockin' time to me. Thanks for sharing, Cassi!

Carboniferous creations.

Snail friend!

These flowers are alight with fire.

Zebra cacti, whoa!

A beautiful patchwork of leaves.

Put a Little SPA in your Week: A Review of the Best Massage Studios in Evanston

Want to feel like you're here? Try a massage after yoga class!

Busy times call for rest. 100 percent exertion demands 100 percent relaxation. In the hot room, every floor series posture earns you a 20-second savasana. In real life, you have to set time for your own time off.

The best way to relax? A massage, of course!

In the last few months, I've gone for massage therapy at several different places around town, including Flow Body Mind Connection, Egea Spa, and OmaiBodyworks. Each place has its own look and feel, and each offers incredible services.

At Flow, Raegan Ross has set up her own studio with a modern look and feel, and all is quiet and peaceful despite the location right on Dempster Street. I loved her little candles around the room, nurturing demeanor, and capable hands. The sweet, stylish wall dividers in her space also give the place a sense of regeneration and, well, flow :)

Flow is located at 609 Dempster in Evanston.

At Egea, I felt so pampered in their luxurious spot. They give you a little robe to wear, a sea salt soak for your feet that helps you feel calm and centered before the massage, and then an amazingly refreshing steam shower afterward! Heavenly. It was so nice spending the whole morning there, just lazing from one step to the next and not rushing out. A little pricey, but I hope to be back soon!

Egea is located at 1521 Sherman Ave in Evanston.

My favorite spot to get a massage, though, is located right in the heart of the building where my home studio is. My awesome friend Lindsay Paige runs her own fantastic massage business OmaiBodyworks right next door, and there's simply nothing better than a session right after yoga class. As Linds likes to say, you've still got the "yoga daze" and can relax even more fully after your muscles are warmed up. It's absolutely wonderful!

Plus, Lindsay is quite a talented Bikram teacher who I admire incredibly, with one of the strongest dialogues I've heard. She's got powerful spirit, determination and motivation in the heat and really makes class enjoyable. Whether I'm sweating through her class or enjoying great conversation with Lindsay, I absolutely love spending time with her. This weekend we're checking out the Illinois YOGA CHAMPIONSHIPS together at Whole Foods in Lincoln Park, Chicago! Should be fun.

OmaiBodyworks is located at 1840 Oak Ave in Evanston, in the basement.

But anyway, back to Omai. One of the best parts about Lindsay's practice is that she plays upbeat music instead of weird, lame new-age-y rainforest sounds, and I totally dig singing along to Feist or Jose Gonzalez in my head while she's getting all the kinks and crunches out of my neck and shoulders. Lindsay has astonishing strength and she isn't scared to beat you up a little bit, but it's the best! A firm amount of pressure is what helps me feel better the next day, and leaves me with the right kind of soreness that quickly fades to freedom. I love leaving with the feeling that I can move again!

In case you're not yet convinced of why OmaiBodyworks should be your next spot for massage, you can also consider this: Lindsay's trained in a special kind of therapy called Lypossage that helps women with cellulite reform their bodies from the inside out. It's an intensive program where you get special treatment, extra-strong massages in the areas that need attention, and you also supplement with a variety of vitamins/ body wraps/ nutrition, etc. Basically she offers an entire "body contouring" package that's about holistic wellness and transforming your body image all over, not just changing your appearance for the sake of vanity.

It totally fits with the Bikram perspective about leaving your ego at the door and instead working toward making your body healthier and whole, not just beautiful.

"Tell them to come for a firm ass, and in six months, their whole lives have changed!" Now that's one of my favorite Bikram-isms.

I've seen pictures of Lindsay's clients, though, and the results are great! It's surprising how much you can do in the short amount of time the program takes, and from what I hear it really does leave women feeling completely changed, and more confident and excited about their beautiful bodies than before. They bring new enthusiasm and energy to the hot room, too!

I'm hoping to try out one of Lindsay's body wraps in the near future (not the LypoMassage, but just an overall wrap), for the relaxation and therapeutic skin benefits that they offer. 

Bottom line? Lindsay's work + Bikram yoga = pure bliss. 

If you're interested in getting a massage with Lindsay, comment below and I can send you her contact info. She does not currently have a web site but you can check out her LinkedIn profile, or ask any yogi at Bikram Yoga Evanston who's been in her little oasis of a massage studio, and you'll hear about how remarkable she is! :)

Beautiful lady on her graduation day from Bikram Teacher Training in Mexico a couple years back. Lindsay, you are the best!

The Weepies Live in Evanston!

The Weepies are one of my favorite bands ever. I belted out every song :)

The show last night was incredible. I am more in love with The Weepies than ever! Hubs and I smiled, laughed, tapped our toes, and sang along with every tune. Deb and Steve were adorable, as usual, and the band rocked out. I was very impressed by their stage presence, spot-on vocals and silly stories.

They all came on stage dressed in crazy Halloween costumes and wigs, Deb with black lipstick on and long, black hair. Steve was hiding behind a wild side-swept wig and sunglasses, and the rest of the band was sporting awesome hats and makeup. After a couple songs Deb laughed as she introduced them as "The Creepies." It was great.

My two favorite songs were "Can't Go Back Now" from their Hideaway album, and a fantastic ballad sung by just Deb and Steve called "Sing Me to Sleep," from his first album Big Senorita. I really loved all of their charming stories about the inspiration behind songs (anything from spam porn emails to their son playing peek-a-boo to fighting with each other). It was a beautiful night and they sounded even better live than on the recorded tracks. Lovely! Beautiful! Wondrous. I am still grinning and humming their songs.

I've checked another dream off the list :)

In case you don't know The Weepies and their playful lyrics, here are a few tidbits...

Yesterday when you were young
Everything you needed done was done for you
Now you do it on your own
But you find you're all alone, what can you do?

You and me walk on, walk on, walk on
'Cause you can't go back now

-from "Can't Go Back Now," which was my personal theme song earlier this year during a hard time. It inspired me to carry on despite challenge, pain, and worry. I truly believe in the idea behind the song: sometimes, in order to grow we truly have to take steps on our own!

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And at closing time we're a nickel and a dime
In the deep back pocket of America
Trying to find wings or something to carry you home
Right now you better make the best of your situation
Escape through a hole in the conversation
The sun comes up like a revelation and I'm so lonely without you

Baby sing me to sleep turn down the covers ‘cause talk is cheap
Baby sing me to sleep ah turn out the lights
Remember the nights when the rain fell eighteen inches deep
Baby sing me to sleep

-from "Sing Me to Sleep," a tune that's beautiful and heart-wrenching at the same time. "A hole in the conversation?!" Brilliant.

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If you've never been to SPACE in Evanston, you should check it out. They've got one of the prettiest, classiest venues around. Delicious pizza and a warm, inviting yet modern atmosphere with gorgeous over-the-bar lights and ceiling art fans that look like jellyfish!

My view looking up at the ceiling. Jellyfish fans! They were so calming and stylish.