Warm Glow

Vancouver has been under a cold spell recently... and I've thwarted off the chilly air by lighting as many candles as I possibly can, while practicing yoga in my living room. Somehow the glow keeps me warm... it's all in the mind isn't it?

I am in love with the soy wax candles by Trillium. Handcrafted in the traditional way in Nelson, BC, these candles are made with pure, essential oils and have lead-free wicks. Soy wax is also both non-toxic and biodegradable. Taking eco-chic to the packaging as well, Trillium candles arrive in a recyclable container with a pretty cover and ribbon tie and burn smoke-free for 35 hours.

www.trilliumsc.com

So... happy 2008... I for one am astonished that it is here... but voila... what can you do, really, except embrace it... and perhaps take time and stock... in a non-judgemental, accepting way... of what life has offered you thus far... and how you live it... which is really, my thought and hope for today... after a week of spending the holidays, with my partner's family... where my only respite from the craziness of family togetherness has been attempting to glide... i.e. learning to cross country ski in the rolling hilly forests of cottage country in Ontario... where a deep breath of air in the woods can give you your monthly dose of prana... My body is tired and my brain is addled... and yet... all i can feel is a deep smile from somewhere within... lighting up with excitement and hope for this interlude and leap into the new year...

many blissings for the new year...

So... it has been a long time since i have updated this blog... for various reasons... which i shall not elaborate on too much ... however... what I can say is that it has been a very "full" year... replete with various things... good and challenging... including planning, organizing and experiencing a very joyful, sustainable wedding, decorating (with an ecological bent), our first home... and traveling to teach (yoga) at many workshops and retreats... all over the world... including, this past month, to Costa Rica... where we spent some time in a small town called Nosara, on the Pacific Coast in the Guanacaste province...

And of course... right at our doorstep, I discovered, a wonderful little store, The Bazaar de Nosara, that seemed to be a gypsy treasure-trove, filled with objets d'art and clothing from Morocco, Bali, India and the local beach... The bazaar is run by a lady Gonca Gul (she is Turkish) who also happens to design a beautiful yoga line, called Leila Yoga.

I bought a top and a dress from the collection and love the fabric... it is made from a technical fabric (i.e. nylon, poly blend, but feels much softer than the lululemon-type fabric) with a really nice elasticity (i.e. fits various body types and sizes).

Gonca's operation is still small, but you can find her in North America, Europe and Asia. For her other clothing, check out: www.goncastyle.com

Happy Holidays...