This was a really great weekend. A perfect balance between restful and energizing as well as downtime and social time.
I took myself for a lunch date at Chopt on Friday afternoon while I was out running errands. This was one of their most popular salads, Braised Chicken Tinga. It’s a warm topping salad with slow-cooked chicken tinga, brown rice and black beans served over avocado, tortilla chips, cotija cheese, kale, spinach and cabbage.
I taught yoga at 4:20 p.m. on Friday and had a big debate in my head about whether to stay after I taught and practice or go get my nails done (it had been months…they looked not good!). I decided on a rest day and treating myself to nails. It was a good decision. We ended the night at home on the couch with a cheese plate and watched the movie Love and Mercy. It tells the story of Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. Crazy!
Most nights around here end with puppy cuddle parties and Friday was no exception. I swear Zoey doesn’t mind being held. She’s so freaking sweet! (When she’s not eating my shoes…)
I slept until about 8 on Saturday morning and then headed out for my long run. I finished my long run at 10:50 a.m. and had to be at the studio at 11:15 to teach. I was cutting it close! Class was great (love, love, love my Saturday morning class) and I devoured this sandwich in the cafe afterwards. Chicken panini with herbed goat cheese, grilled onions, arugula and avocado.
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My Saturday afternoon was interesting. I taught a yoga class in the middle of the mall! Seriously, in center court.
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It was in celebration of the grand opening of The Track & Field Store, a new Brazilian activewear brand that just opened in SouthPark Mall. I am serving as an ambassador for them this fall so I agreed to teach a free class in the mall. This is actually the second time I have taught yoga in the middle of the mall. I did it back in 2011 too for another event.
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The best part is all the people who just stop and stare. I don’t know how to describe how it felt to be wearing a mic and teaching yoga for the whole mall to hear but I shared with the class that it was a perfect example of yoga in action. I think the mall is a great analogy for what it’s like in our minds. Constant distractions, shiny things to grab our attention, voices in and out, etc. Learning to quiet your mind and get to a place of peace in the middle of chaos is a very valuable skill to have. Most of my participants said they totally forgot that all that was going on in the mall was even around them.
Honoring their Brazilian roots, The Track & Field Store had Rico’s Acai at the event whipping up acai bowls for the participants. Delicious post-yoga treat!
We spent Saturday night with friends where yet again I made dinner out of a cheese plate. This time with charcuterie and we had some flat breads. I will never complain about this kind of dinner! 🙂
I woke up Sunday morning with donuts on my mind. And not just any donuts, Your Mom’s Donuts. I have had them at the studio when other people have brought them in but I’ve never been down to the shop. Best idea I had all weekend!
Your Mom’s Donuts is a locally owned “farm to table” donut shop. They use NC milled flour, pastured dairy and eggs in all of their handmade donuts. The donuts are nontraditionally shaped and feature all sorts of seasonal flavor combinations. They also serve locally roasted Pure Intentions coffee.
We brought our donuts home and balanced out the sweet treats with some eggs and fruit. We shared three donuts…Chai Glaze with Orange and Cinnamon Sugar, Lemon Curd Filled with Lavender Glaze and Apple Cinnamon Donut Bread Pudding. They were amazing! This might be a new Sunday staple! 🙂
The rest of my day included a yoga marathon of taking a class and then teaching two classes, a grocery trip and cooking a yummy Sunday dinner and watching How To Get Away with Murder. Y’all were right…we are addicted! So good!
Have you watched any good movies lately?
Where’s the most unusual place you’ve ever done yoga?
Donuts…love ’em or leave ’em?
