tranquility du jour

cafes, yin yoga, carousel, banana split = day 8 a la paris

2009-11-21T19:33:00.006-05:00

day huit:

up until 5 or 6am again. *still* on dc time. slept until 2 and headed out to the world's oldest cafe, le procope, and was less than impressed. i was excited about a true cafe, this was now more of a fancy restaurant serving ungodly dishes like braised ox cheek. yuck! we left and headed to a delightful sidewalk cafe nearby. that's where we indulged in that gorgeous cheese plate above. next to rasa for 1.5 hours of yummy yin yoga taught mainly in french. absolute delight. then we rewarded ourselves with nutella-filled crepes. oh my, it was even too sweet for moi which is unheard of. i couldn't finish it but was sure to get every bit of whipped creme i had smoothered on top. we walked along the seine for at least an hour en route to the eiffel tower. we'd hoped to take a ride up to sip bubbly in the champagne bar but didn't have the patience to wait in lines and they were incredibly long. instead i jumped onto the colorful carousel with glee. love. me. some. carousels. there is something about the music, colors, sparkles, painted ceilings, lights, and twirling that feels decadent. i stayed on for a second spin. truly a highlight of this trip. we took the metro back to a nearby stop, walked many blocks home so i could grab a book and headed to yet another sidewalk cafe. it's 10ish at night at that point and i savored the yummy salad shown above topped off, of course, with my second parisian banana split. note the look in beau's eyes as he gets ready to dive into the whipped creme covered banana split. i wrote in my journal, sipped mint tea, he read on his iPhone, and then we chatted about what we wanted to do by this time next year. moi: develop etsy shop, grow TranquiliT luxe, 1.5 years MSW completed (2.5 to go), develop online tranquilista series (spin off of online creativity circle). finally, we walked home in the rain with full bellies and happy hearts. another divine day parisian style.

musee d'orsay, ferris wheel, moulin rouge = day sept in paris

2009-11-20T20:34:00.002-05:00

day sept:

while beau slept like a bebe, i was up until 5am again reading, writing, tweeting, and being. ah, he was up at 9 and i was up at 2. let the day begin. i was eagerly spewing out the many to-dos i wanted to accomplish today when he begged for cafe and food. oh yeah, food! i was so excited about seeing bonnard, monet, and the musee d'orsay gift show that i forgot about that basic need. we first hit the cafe at musee d'orsay. note my *delicious* jasmine tea, beau sooo happy to be sipping his first parisian espresso, and the decadent cake that topped off our mid-afternoon lunch. yum! next to see my favorite artists: monet, manet, cezanne, renoir, sisley, and degas. we're able to snap photos of this gorgeous art if we don't use our flash. this was a new concept to moi and i loved getting a shot in front of monet. i was over the moon when we stumbled upon the ornate reception room full of chandeliers and told beau we should have louis' 10-year birthday bash there. ok, a petit dream but he IS my beloved "son." after blissfully twirling around in this room we headed over to see bonnard - the most fave artist who i named my first born son (noir feline) after. picked up a few goodies in the gift store and headed to wh smith to shop their impressive style section of books. en route we hit the ferris wheel and spontaneously decided to indulge our spirits. total treat. that's where the photo of the eiffel tower was taken. great views. only horror, they were playing cotton-eyed joe on the speaker system inside the cabins. yikes! american music everywhere which i sometimes enjoy, but not cotton-eyed joe when savoring such romantic views. found some fabulous books at wh smith and wrote down the titles rather than adding to my overflowing collection: how to be adored: a girl's guide to hollywood glamour, backward in high heels: the impossible art of being female, beauty in bloom, and the goddess experience: custom made for you. fun titles and flashy, inspiring eye candy inside. future must-adds to my library! next to our final destination: moulin rouge for dinner and show. en route we passed chanel again and i snapped this not-so-fabulous shot of the famous staircase beautifully featured in coco before chanel. being near this spot of innovation and creativity feels incredibly special. *loved* the sparkles and feathers at moulin rouge. we were continually entertained by the experience although we couldn't quite describe it. we walked home for over an hour and stopped for some late night tea and frommage. it seems to be becoming a trend that i'd like to continue when we get home. total delight. helps you stop for a moment to reflect, savor, and be disconnected from technology. i've been enjoying this savor-filled experience. paris is *all* about the experience. the details. the beauty. the scents. the art of everyday. mille bisous. bon nuit.

why i heart paris

2009-11-19T20:57:00.000-05:00

photo from wikipedia

why i heart paris:

style, oh the style

lights - from the perfect dim ambient cafe lighting to uplighting of old, ornate buildings

the language - it's music to my oklahoman ears

french music - from carla bruni to mc solar

chandeliers

tea salons

appreciation of details

big, tall, heavy doors

heavy ornate knockers on doors

tip is included

it cost a friend 150 euros to attend a semester at university

flower shops are pieces of art

love of fashion - ex. the exhibit i saw two days ago

impressionistic art on display

notre dame

moulin rouge

the seine

yummy cheeses

it's ok to sit down to simply sip a pot of tea

hammam

dogs can join us in restaurants

chocolate is an art and treated as such

fragrant french soaps

the eiffel tower sparkles

bubbly

the double kiss greeting

mona lisa lives here

day six: beau joins moi + giveaway

2009-11-19T17:59:00.001-05:00

day six:

"to err is human, to stroll is parisian." - victor hugo

decided it was time to surrender to sleep around 4am. excited for beau's arrival, i woke up around 8ish thinking i was hearing a suitcase in the courtyard. instead it was a neighbor leaving for work. slumbered off and on until i heard him speaking "frenglish" outside the door. jumped out of bed and gave him a big hug. was so happy to see him. begged for a bit more sleep and he promised to stay up watching some recorded tv shows since he shouldn't sleep (jet lag mantra). well, an hour later, we were both slumbering until 4ish. ah, best laid plans. headed out to dinner at cafe le flore. yummy vegetarian quiche, greens, tea topped of with ice cream for dessert. next a stroll along blvd st-germain into the latin quarter followed by more walking along the left and then right bank of the seine. we saw the eiffel tower begin to sparkle and i took the best shot i could. the lights look blue but they were a gorgeous white. love me some sparkles. finally we hit another sidewalk cafe for more tea and an assortment of yummy cheese. can never have too much cheese. that's where i shot this fun picture of beau gleefully enjoying his tea. so handsome. back home close to midnight. tomorrow musee d'orsay and dinner plus show at moulin rouge! tres bien.

french-lovers giveaway

my apartment if chock-full of scented goodies i'll be bringing home to a few of my dearest femmes. as a merci beaucoup to you, my beloved blog readers, i'd love to offer a *french-filled care package* to one lucky person who comments on this post. all i ask is that you share a sentence or two . . . or three on why you read this blog, tranquility du jour. the lucky winner will be announced before i leave paris on monday. ooh la la! i look forward to hearing your feedback,

s'il vous plaît. good luck.

stroll, savor, and sparkle. xoxo

day of spa + yoga = tranquility

2009-11-18T20:49:00.001-05:00

day cinq:

today = delight. had my first 8 hours of sleep all at once since landing in paris! double delight. woke up well rested a few minutes before my alarm clock which was set for 12:30pm. yes, pm. i've been staying up a bit later here in paris - usually writing and reading until 2-3ish. just got in about an hour ago. my latest night out and about yet and it was a total treat. actually my day was all about treats and indulgences - including gift buying for loved ones back home. indulged in hammam (described in detail by clicking the link). as soon as i walked in, my heart rate slowed, my breath deepened, and i felt at home. after disrobing and putting on my disposable undies wrong side out (silly american), i headed to a waiting area where they were making mint green tea and served me yummy almonds in easter-colored almond paste. perfect breakfast. next to the mint-scented steam. during the start of the steam room i whispered "save me" as i grasped the door to gain a dose of cooler air. again, silly american. next was a scrub down while i rested on a warmed slab of stone. very authentic. kinda hurt, but i kept telling myself how good it was to shed dead skin and improve circulation. then she lathered me in a yeast paste. had a choice of this, clay, and something else that wasn't translating well to english. they recommended yeast so i went with it - despite smelling like a big bottle of beer. next i was wrapped in a covering and left to "cook" for what felt like 30 minutes. um, beer burrito. again, i know it's good for me, but i started to get antsy and my tailbone was aching on the stone. don't get my wrong, it was divine but i'm not used to being still for so long! next she put a mask on my face and in my hair and then rinsed my hair with rosewater. oh. my. goodness. love me some rosewater. next to the cooler pool as seen in the photo on the blog linked above. i alternated between that and the warm sauna while sipping my lime blossom drink. sooo refreshing. the 3.5 hour extravaganza was topped off with a massage and then she asked if i wanted her to blow dry my hair. seriously? wow! so decadent. i walked out glowing. next on the agenda was yoga but first a stop to pick up goodies/gifts. got 3 bags full and headed to ashtanga paris for a vinyasa class. it's on an obscure street not even noted on the map outside the metro exit. hmmm. what to do? began asking passerbys in my not-so-french accent. finally i stumbled upon the address just in time for class. met my tranquil space pal, maite, and we headed into this sanctuary tucked inside a very zen courtyard. there were only 10 of us in class and one regular proclaimed that it was "packed." hmmm, come to america! yummy ashtanga-styled class, nice assists, and beautiful setting. headed to aux folies with maite, her fun french husband jacques, and two shitzus. sipped chardonnay and learned all about french politics and growing up in the 'hood. next to savor chinese food, rose wine, and a banana split. yep, chinese restaurants have the best ice cream i was told. *big* fan of their banana splits! back to their darling home for some chamomile/lavender tea and then caught a cab back to chez moi. tried to straighten up in prep for beau's arrival in a few hours. so excited to show him around and explore sites, sewer museum, and sidewalk cafes with him. this day was all about tranquility. i wasn't able to capture my experiences on film but i caught the above shots in between. i loved the pink vespa amidst the many black ones. it was a fun reminder about embracing and exuding authentic flair. so what if everyone else drives black scooters? you may want a pink one. the dried rose petals were in the loo of o'kari and inspired me to scatter more dried herbs around the studio - namely lavender and rose buds. the whole experience at o'kari was enhanced by the small touches - blow drying my hair, serving me tea + treats before the treatment, the smell of mint, the flickering candles. finally, i passed the flower shop in the last shot and had to snap a photo. so chic and so french. the flower shops here are to die for (like yesterday's window display i showcased in the blog). the french are serious about their flowers and rightfully so. fleurs add the perfect accent to any and all occasions. mille bisous.

i heart madeleine vionnet: day quatre a paris

2009-11-17T18:25:00.000-05:00

day quatre:

my belly is FULL from the most amazing rose wine, antipasto, gnocchi, and molten chocolate cake. yum! even the long walk back across the seine didn't help to "walk it off." jet lag is severe. craziest case ever with my travels. each night i wake up after 3 hours of sleep and toss, turn, get online, read, plan the next day - anything - for 3-5 hours before i can fall back asleep. last night my neighbors were going to work and i was still trying to sleep. thus, i slept until 2pmish again. in the wee hours i was googling "jet lag." apparently i did two no-nos: alcohol on the plane (what's a girl to do when offered complimentary riesling? oh, and a chardonnary?) and sleep upon landing (at least i unpacked before my 6-hour slumber!). this has set my body into some random pattern but i'm squeezing as much out of my waking hours/paris' open hours as possible! upon waking i made an appointment for a hammam tomorrow. received many recommendations to check it out and in my late night online searching found this one with the enticing write up by the woman who wrote the naughty paris guide. funny how you really need a vacation from your vacation. so many things to see/do and it's important to just be. and, why not be while immersing in water and getting a massage, hair wash, and face treatment? next i headed to les arts decoratifs near the louvre for an exhibit i was told i *must* see: madeleine vionnet. was truly blown away. she is referred to as the "queen of the bias cut" and credited for the cowl neck, hankerchief dress, and halter top. my fave dress is the gold lame dress about 1/3 of the way down on the above link, next to the white grecian dress with gold belt. to. die. for. so elegant. all of her pieces are classic. i'd wear 85% of them now and they were designed mainly in the 20s and 30s! so impressive. i sketched a few of the dresses and took random notes that i shot for this blog post. clearly doesn't do her work justice but i wanted to capture ideas while they were fresh. then to laduree for rose macaroons and lime blossom tea with a tranquil space yogini who lives in paris. what a treat! next was wh smith for a book event with the blogger of chocolate and zucchini. she was darling, great presentation on her evolution as a blogger turned author and was sharing the process of translating i know how to cook by ginette mathiot to english (with a team of help - she was sure to point that out). next we walked by chanel. my heart skipped a beat. it was closed so i could only get a tiny glimpse of the famous staircase. finally, the evening culminated over italian cuisine, good convo (nice to actually talk to another human - it's been a few days), and rose wine. another day that nurtured my senses in many ways. feeling truly blessed. interesting observation: i haven't seen one person with a laptop at a cafe. it's books, cell phones, cigarettes, and friends. i'd thought a lot of writing would be happening by moi while sitting at sidewalk cafes. guess i'll need to slow down on sightseeing to make that happen but i'd be the odd ball out - sans cigarette and with laptop. we'll see. beau arrives on thursday so tomorrow is spa and yoga day. total tranquility. looking forward to his arrival and our exploration of this romantic city of light together. au revoir. xo

day trois: today i touched vintage chanel

2009-11-16T14:38:00.000-05:00

day trois:

my day started at noon with a yoga practice to michael jackson's man in the mirror. went to bed around 3am and woke up at 6 for a couple of hours. this may explain my noon wake-up. not sure why my sleep patterns are so bizarre but i'm going with it. headed straight to the big 'ol outdoor market where all the photos came from. got on the metro for the first time like a big girl and bought two tickets. after touching the computer screen (think iPhone) and pushing a bunch of buttons with words i didn't know, i rolled a big middle bar and voila, that allowed me to buy a ticket. was quite proud of myself and laughed thinking how amusing it must have been to watch me pushing buttons and tapping a screen. silly tourist. the jaunt to the end of the metro line was full of interesting visuals. at the second to last stop a man was partaking in not-so-legal substances from a pipe while we were stopped and his "friend" was busily prepping it with his back to us. at the next stop was a police officer and drug dog. hmmm. i walked the aisles and alleys of the marche for hours. a highlight was meeting olwen forest who supplied the chanel jewelry for the vogue paris march 09 issue. this is where i touched my very first vintage piece. my favorites where the ones that included the sparkly bead i blogged about weeks ago. i've been attracted to this bead for about 2 years when i first came across it at a bead store near woodstock, new york. little did i know chanel used something similar in her early work. oh, and it was only 2000 euros! a great price she assured moi. sadly, i walked away knowing that that would be my budget for the next year and i felt eating was more important. cest le vie. there were two more vintage designer clothing shops that i stumbled upon in my exploration of antiques and sparkles. more chanel, dior, and more. fell in love with a haute couture chanel gown that appeared to be the perfect size AND had beads plus mesh around the 3/4 sleeves and neckline. 1200 euros. i kissed her french bulldog named ceasar and walked away blue. too addicted to bargain shopping. i snapped the photo of the eggshell chanel suit on my way out. headed back on the metro en route to tea and tattered pages for more english bookstore browsing. the kitchen was about to close so i decided to skip a pot of tea and head back to my apartment. tired feet and lack of sustenance (a croissant and yogurt only go so far). unintentionally stumbled upon my street, rue de grenelle. i can never find it when looking for it! figured i should play it safe and head toward chez moi but was getting weak so i stopped at a sidewalk cafe. sat under a heater and savored people watching. ordered a pot of tea and brownie since they weren't serving dinner anymore. boo. well, a brownie for dinner it was and, honestly, the most decadent brownie i've ever devoured. i don't think i could have had a meal, too. now, will catch some shut eye and hope for a full night's slumber. bonne nuit.

bonne journee

2009-11-15T19:32:00.001-05:00

bon soir. this phrase rolls off my tongue easily now. my past 40 hours in the city of light has been dreamy (despite the language barrier) and i'm even more in love with paris.

day un:

arrived at 8am yesterday after a luxe ride via business class (courtesy a la miles). i'm an anxious flier so being coddled with wine, cheese + olives, pasta, a sundae with the toppings of my choice (wowza!) plus a toiletry kit with burt's bees lotion helped ease the discomfort. oh, and those seats - to die for. they recline back and made the 6hr40min journey fly by. despite only a few hours of sleep, i was wide awake the last hour in anticipation and going through customs was the quickest i'd ever experienced. the 40-minute drive from the airport to the city was a treat. when i saw the eiffel tower i squealed with glee. he helped me tote my bags through a courtyard, up three flights of stairs, and across a landing into chez moi for 10 days. i immediately lit nag champa incense, unpacked, skyped beau (who will join me in a few days), and placed everything in its proper place and crawled into bed for a nap. woke up six hours later (oops), donned layers, and began walking the streets. taking that first step out of my lodging is always the scariest part of traveling solo in a foreign country. i'm directionally challenged so i usually just start walking and then try to get my bearings. quickly found a sidewalk cafe, sipped a pot of darjeeling tea and noshed on a veggie omellette. yum! people watching was my favorite part. next to blvd st-germain where i browsed stores and walked for hours. saw cafe de flore and snapped a photo because it was so beautiful, so parisian. turns out it is where feminist simone de beauvior and jean-paul sarte used to hang. came across a theatre district with enticing films but i doubted they would have english subtitles so i kept walking. then i saw a theatre showing this is it with french subtitles. très magnifique! stood in mutliple lines only to find i was in the wrong line. the beauty of being a tourist. finally got my ticket and headed to another sidewalk cafe to write in my journal until the movie began. enjoyed the film and haven't been able to get smooth criminal out of my head for 24 hours now. delightful first day!

day deux:

woke up 3-7am and eagerly waited for the sun to shine. finally fell back asleep until noon. planned to hit the 15-acre flea market for the day. showered, tweeted, and felt sleepy. face down with shoes on, feel back asleep until 4pm. uh oh! no flea market for moi today. tomorrow it is. instead i walked miles and headed in the wrong direction a few times. yes, despite having a map. boo. en route to tea caddy i saw the pink limo in the photos above. ooh la la! quickly pulled out my camera and captured this action shot. wow, a pink limo. never seen such girliness before. dined on devon scones and a pot of rose tea at the cozy tea caddy. did oodles of journal writing. 4 pages. much more that i usually do. hoping that the words continue to flow considering i'd initially planned on this month being all about reflection. figuring out what was next after celebrating tranquil space's 10th year. i figured it out in may during my costa rica retreat and promptly applied to graduate school for social work. however, there is still a piece of me that wants to continue reflecting on if there are any changes or shifts that i would like to occur. how to do biz and/or be differently? maybe not. simply want to give myself that space for reflection. funny that i had to travel to paris to take the time to be so indulgent. next was an exploration of shakespeare and company. browsed eating animals, animal liberation, style a to zoe, and french women don't get fat. proudly didn't purchase considering my bibliophile ways. headed to a le grenier de notre dame for some yummy miso soup and falafels. went back to shakepeare and company to ensure i really didn't need to buy anything. i didn't. walked home along the seine as a light rain began to pour. listening to paris soundtrack, burning incense, and writing while sitting at the tiny table by the window curled up in chenille ballet slippers and a new wrap sweater i found on blvd st-germain. feeling pretty lucky and looking forward to continued adventures, experiences, and reflections.

bonne soiree.

tranquility du jour #166: do-gooding + having fun with britt bravo

2009-11-15T16:51:00.001-05:00

direct download (mp3)

Bonjour. Welcome to the 166th edition of Tranquility du Jour: a guide to bringing tranquility to your every day. Today’s show menu features happenings and musings on do-gooding + having fun with Britt Bravo.

Tranquilology Teleclass: Join moi for our next tranquilology teleclass "New Year, New You" on Monday, January 4 at 9pm ET. $10. View petals from summer's teleclass.

Workshops + Retreats: Consider the New Year's Gala on January 9 in DC, online creativity circle in January, Hip Tranquil Chick retreat March 26-28, a week long sojourn to lush Costa Rica May 29-June 5, and Kripalu July 5-9. All the scoop is on my worksho ps page.

Featured Tranquilista:

Britt Bravo is a social web consultant and career coach who helps artists, entrepreneurs and nonprofits realize their big visions and be a powerful force for good. She writes for five blogs: Have Fun Do Good, BlogHer, The Extraordinaries, WE tv’s WE Volunteer blog, and the Global Center for Cultural Entrepreneurship blog. She also produces the Big Vision Podcast and the Arts and Healing Podcast, and hosts Echoing Green’s podcast, Be Bold: Create a Career with Impact. Bravo is a frequent speaker and trainer who has presented at events such as the Craigslist Foundation Nonprofit Boot Camp, Bioneers Conference, Stanford Women’s Leadership Conference, San Francisco Writers Conference, Global Engagement Summit, and the BlogHer Conference. Her personal blog, Have Fun * Do Good, is one of the top twenty blogs on the List of Change, and her Twitter feed is on Social Edge’s list of Top 100 Tweeps to Follow. In 2007, her local paper, the East Bay Express, named her the Best Podcaster/Blogger Most Dedicated to Social Change.

You can find out more about her work at www.brittbravo.com, connect with her on Twitter at @bbravo and on Facebook at facebook.com/britt.bravo.

Savvy Sources:
Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul by Stuart Brown
Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
Mobilizing Generation 2.0: A Practical Guide to Using Web 2.0 Technologies to Recruit, Organize and Engage Youth by Ben Rigby
CauseWired: Plugging In, Getting Involved, Changing the World by Tom Watson
Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations by Clay Shirky
Beth's Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media by Beth Kanter
NetSquared, An Initiative of TechSoup: Remixing the Web for Social Change

Signature Eco-Style: Fall fashion is luxe. Featured "Look of the Podcast" is the fabulous flare skirt pant. Watch TranquiliT's video featuring oodles of ways to wear. Join TranquiliT's mailing list to learn about sales and new designs. Follow TranquiliT on twitter. Become a fan. Add TranquiliT to your blog and become an Affiliate. Help spread tranquility and join our Tribe.

Stay Au Courant: Create a home practice. Join our Facebook group. Become my Facebook friend. Follow moi on Twitter. Download Tranquility du Jour on demand. Watch bi-weekly Tranquility du Jour TV on youtube.com/tranquilitydujour . Explore mentoring with moi. Peruse Hip Tranquil Chick. Deepen your yoga practice at Tranquil Space. Get your do-gooding on with Tranquil Space Foundation. Sign up for my museletter. Reserve a signed copy of Tranquilista. Join Tranquilista's fan page.

Challenge: Send moi photos of you getting your artist date on and I'll share them with our readers. The most creative artist date photo/write up received by December 21 (the winter solstice) will receive a complimentary mentoring session plus my newest Tranquility-to-Go yoga CD. Create away + do share!

Omwork: Explore ways to do good + have fun!

Au Revoir: To close out the show, we’re playing Ou Est Ma Tete? by Pink Martini from promonet. You can learn more about them at pinkmartini.com.

You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes.
New to podcasting? Get more info at Podcast Alley.
Do you have iTunes? Click here and subscribe to the podcast. You'll automatically get the latest edition as soon as it's available.
Do you use another podcatcher? Use this link for the podcast RSS feed.

Interested in starting a podcast for yourself, your organization or your business?
Check out nineball media.

Labels: podcasts

au revoir dc, bonjour paris

2009-11-13T09:40:00.002-05:00

today is the day i've been blogging about for months. i leave for paris in a matter of hours. woke up with butterflies as the clock is ticking on my to-dos in prep for leaving, along with packing properly for this rainy, chilly time of year.

a friend sent me this photo last night in a sweet "au revoir" note. i asked if i could share it on the blog as it is such a gorgeous representation of the eiffel tower. merci beaucoup, carol!

i promise to: blog, tweet, and update facebook regularly. sip bubbly at noon on at least one occassion (simply because i can). not check e-mail often - not even daily. journal write every day. sit in churches, bask in their beauty, and meditate. write FAQs and an article for my publisher. review guest blogger submissions and come back with a plan for next steps - tres excited about your talent! take yoga classes in french. walk along the seine. tiptoe through the tuileries. sip vin chaud (hot spiced wine) at a sidewalk cafe. play the role of a writer pensively pondering next moves at an indoor cafe near a fireplace. sleep in and savor baguettes and cheese at my rented apartment. glean inspiration for the spring TranquiliT collection. welcome beau next thursday morning with oodles of must-dos after checking out the scene. savor oodles of rainy afternoons at shakespeare and company bookstore. browse the famous flea markets. write oodles of snail mail.

wishing each of you, my supportive readers, a glorious next 10 days. merci beaucoup for your many paris suggestions. i've saved them all in a file and look forward to making basic must-dos over tea in my apartment overlooking paris tomorrow morning.

mille bisous, kimberly

creative kudos + challenge

2009-11-12T13:23:00.003-05:00

i am delighted to share the completion of our fall online creativity circle. the following lades read THREE books, did vision boards, did morning pages, had artist dates, practiced yoga, meditated, worked with a study buddy, completed their weekly OMwork. as a reward these fab femmes received a tranquility toolkit stuffed with tranquility to go plus additional tools for creativity and self-care.

ooh la la!

Julie

Laura

Jennifer

Lynne

Susan

Mindy

Amanda

Claire

Kylie

Cici

wishing *all* readers oodles of creative experiences this holiday season. did i just write holiday season? oh my! it IS that time of the year. picked up a tiny live christmas tree on way back from montreal last weekend and have it proudly displayed on my kitchen counter. j'adore this time of the year! get creative with alternative gift giving (make a gift or give an experience), make homemade ornaments, bake cookies, create new traditions.

consider joing us for the new year's creativity circle and take the artist date challenge: send moi photos of you getting your artist date (a solo excursion catered to nurturing your creative side) on and i'll share them with our readers. the most creative artist date photo/write up received by december 21 (the winter solstice) will receive a complimentary mentoring session plus my newest tranquility-to-go yoga cd. create away + do share!

a week of travels

2009-11-10T08:49:00.006-05:00

bonjour from a hotel lounge in philly.

took the train up (earlier than is humane) to the city of brotherly love this morning and have a few minutes to spare before my workshop on "sacred commerce: business as a path of awakening" with the founders of cafe gratitude. the past few days were constant on-the-go with a 12-hour drive to montreal, workshops at centre luna yoga, oodles of yummy vegetarian dining, belly laughs with beloved hosts jenn (featured in photo) and jason, 12-hour drive back from montreal - all within four days. during the drive up to montreal i went through many back issues of inc, friends of the animals, boho, and body+soul magazines. i find this process to be so cathartic and always come away with new great ideas. now i need to make sure i read and organize all the great resources that i pulled. despite the busyness of the past few days, i was sure to savor hot baths, hot tea, and sprinkles of yoga.

today i'm delighted to savor an intimate (small group setting) workshop with two business owners that i've admired for a few years. last week i got a notice that they were going to be in philly and decided to take the plunge and get my bum up here to indulge in their work. i've read their book, sacred commerce, and love their innovative way of looking at business.

after today, i have two days until i head to paris for ten glorious days and i'm scrambling to ensure everything is in order before i cross the pond. i'm super, duper excited and plan to do lots of reading, writing, sipping bubbly + pots of tea (not together), napping, walking, exploring the tuileri es, hit a paris flea market (i hear there are massive chandeliers - ooh la la), and romancing with beau near the eiffel tower. no big agenda, simply the desire to bask in the beauty of this gorgeous culture. any must-experiences that you recommend, pass along s’il vous plaît. i'll be sure to take video and blog while away so it's like you're coming . . . in spirit! xoxo

tranquility du jour tv: ts10

2009-11-07T23:04:00.000-05:00

----
bonjour from montreal. lots of eating, yoga, laughing with dear friends, and oodles of sleeping. since we'll be journeying back to dc tomorrow evening, i wanted to share this week's episode of tranquility du jour tv with you early. it's a glimpse into tranquil space's 10-year birthday bash from friday, october 30. happy, happy birthday tranquil space! xo

indulge in tranquility

2009-11-04T22:32:00.001-05:00

for those of you on the call tonight with the lovely christine arylo of self love studio, you know that the big dare i gave you was to indulge in 5 minutes of tranquility EACH day. in case you need some suggestions on how to make that happen, here are a few of my favorites:

sip hot tea

meditate

do 10 sun salutations

pet your furry friends

take a walk

arrange flowers

light a candle

listen to carla bruni

savor miso soup

take a hot bath

pen a snail mail thank you

call your gramma

read

write in your journal

paint your nails

curl your hair

eat chocolate covered almonds

don comfy togs and do legs up the wall

let me know how *you* indulge in tranquility. i hope you will participate in this challenge and make it part of your everyday. xoxo

slumber and more slumber

2009-11-04T20:36:00.000-05:00

as many of you know, i think sleep is the most *divine* thing out there - next to yoga, style, and do-gooding, that is. however, as of late i cannot get enough of it - even after 10 hours of it. i still want more. hmmm. maybe it is the change of weather. maybe the time change. are you experiencing the same thing? in case you are, i wanted to provide some suggestions for a decadent slumber:

- earplugs

- eyepillow

- furry 4-legged friend

- oodles of pillows

- soft, soft sheets

- pen/paper near beadside for middle of the night thoughts

- journal/pen to capture your early morning or before bed musings

- inspiring books (i'm surrounded by 'em and keep hoping that they will sink in through osmosis)

- bedside lamp for late night reading

- h2o (preferably with a slice of lemon)

- down blankets

additional touches:

- douse yourself in a sesame oil and let your skin soak up the benefits all night

- use a soothing alarm to wake up to vs. BEEP, BEEP, BEEP (boo!)

- pillow spray

- lip balm

- small fan for white noise and air movement

seriously, i feel like the princess and the pea but . . . slumbering is tres important! wishing you a joyful night of zzzzzzs. xoxo

tranquility du jour #165: musings on yoga

2009-11-01T19:54:00.000-05:00

direct download (mp3)

Bonjour. Welcome to the 165th edition of Tranquility du Jour: a guide to bringing tranquility to your every day. Today’s show menu features happenings and musings on yoga with Deborah Bernstein.

Tranquilology Teleclass: Join moi for our next tranquilology teleclass "New Year, New You" on Monday, January 4 at 9pm ET. $10. View petals from summer's teleclass.

Workshops + Retreats: Join moi in Montreal at the lovely Centre de Luna November 7 + 8. Consider the New Year's Gala on January 9 in DC, online creativity circle in January, Hip Tranquil Chick retreat March 26-28, a week long sojourn to lush Costa Rica May 29-June 5, and Kripalu July 5-9. All the scoop is on my soon-to-be updated worksho ps page.

Featured Tranquilista:
Deborah is a yoga instructor, founder of Florian’s Causes and the founder of Roslindale Yoga Studio, in Boston, MA. She now owns and runs the Florian Yoga Retreats on St. John, USVI and leads yoga retreats with her fiance Scott. Deborah is the author of Yoga in America and What is Yoga? After 15 years of working as a management consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers and later running an international corporate finance department for Iron Mountain, she left the corporate world to teach yoga. Deborah has long been involved with community service – while obtaining her MBA from Boston College, she ran a tutor mentor program for high risk teens from Boston’s inner city and later while working at PwC, Deborah began teaching yoga to middle school students from the Boston Public Schools. Deborah’s commitment to supporting the community continues with her work at the Florian Villa on St. John, providing free retreats at the villa to wounded veterans and families of fallen firefighters. Throughout the year, Deborah leads yoga retreats at the villa; her yoga teaching style is an eclectic mix of vinyasa and mindfulness practice, inspired by viniyoga and Kundalini.

Savvy Sources
Blog: florian yoga
Website: 30 day yoga journey
Twitter: @florianyoga
Books: Yoga in America and What is Yoga?
Retreat: Florian Villa

Signature Eco-Style: Fall fashion is luxe. Featured "Look of the Podcast" is 3/4 sleeve wrap dress. Lovely with tights, tall boots, and a heavy scarf. Watch TranquiliT's video featuring oodles of ways to wear. Join TranquiliT's mailing list to learn about sales and new designs. Follow TranquiliT on twitter. Become a fan. Add TranquiliT to your blog and become an Affiliate. Help spread tranquility and join our Tribe.

Stay Au Courant: Create a home practice. Join our Facebook group. Become my Facebook friend. Follow moi on Twitter. Download Tranquility du Jour on demand. Watch bi-weekly Tranquility du Jour TV on youtube.com/tranquilitydujour . Explore mentoring with moi. Peruse Hip Tranquil Chick. Deepen your yoga practice at Tranquil Space. Get your do-gooding on with Tranquil Space Foundation. Sign up for my museletter. Reserve a signed copy of Tranquilista. Join Tranquilista's fan page.

Challenge: Send moi photos of you getting your artist date on and I'll share them with our readers. The most creative artist date photo/write up received by December 21 (the winter solstice) will receive a complimentary mentoring session plus my newest Tranquility-to-Go yoga CD. Create away + do share!

Omwork: Check out 30-day yoga journey. What is yoga to you?

Au Revoir: To close out the show, we’re playing Pick up the Phone by Dragonette from promonet. You can learn more about them at dragonette.com.

You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes.
New to podcasting? Get more info at Podcast Alley.
Do you have iTunes? Click here and subscribe to the podcast. You'll automatically get the latest edition as soon as it's available.
Do you use another podcatcher? Use this link for the podcast RSS feed.

Interested in starting a podcast for yourself, your organization or your business?
Check out nineball media.

Labels: podcasts

bonjour november

2009-11-01T13:42:00.001-05:00

mums, pumpkins, apple cider, falling leaves, tall boots, restorative yoga, faux fur, warm fires, hot cocoa with marshmallows, pine-scented candles = this time of the year. love, love, love it! last night while curled up on the couch at the cabin, beau + i came across our first christmas commercial. really, on halloween? yep! the holidays are here . . . with jingle bells on!

hope you all had a *delightful* halloween. we headed out to beau's cabin after i indulged in a day-long artist date at a sewing class. made flowy pants and a tunic - photo forthcoming. we stopped at my fave restaurant (yes, you know the one . . . shhhh), a bookstore, and tarjay. NO ONE was out. it was fabulous. i said to beau, "it feels like that night when everyone is watching that silly football game!" he was like, "you mean the superbowl?" yep! it's my fave night to get out and about because it's just me and the store clerks. i've never been shopping or bookstore browsing or restaurant eating on halloween. it will now be tradition because everyplace is empty. loved having the aisles to myself.

i love how many bloggers share their goals for the upcoming month and then revisit ones created the month before to see how they did. talk about accountability. i want to share mine and encourage you to join in. it will be like a way for our virutal community to make magic happen each month!

my november dreams:

1. finish revamp of kimberlywilson.com (check out the darling new connect page)

2. revamp of blog look

3. place items in my new etsy store

4. fun, vibrant, inspiring session on THIS wednesday's self-love studio interview (tune in!)

5. curl hair once a week for flair (picked up curling iron last night - felt so 80s)

6. 10 minutes of daily meditation

7. savor every moment of 10 days in paris (november 13-23)

8. begin work on *big* final paper for human behavior theory

9. call ailing gramma every few days so she knows how ADORED she is

10. choose guest bloggers from *oh-so-impressive* submissions and determine daily inspiration for tranquility du jour 2010

11. informative, innovative presentation on socio-economic status in media for diversity class

12. plan festive holiday party for tranquil space team

13. daily: soaks in the tub, sips of hot tea, expression of gratitude, lighting of candles

14. practice sidewalk yoga and slow down ever so slightly to take in the world around me

15. bake yummy cookies for yogis i will greet at tranquil space on thanksgiving day

16. lead dynamic workshops that inspire in montreal this weekend

17. choose spring TranquiliT palette based on your feedback

18. finalize january - june tranquil space programming

october was one of the busiest months of my life. november promises to be full of inspiration a la paris and a slower pace. now that i have shared my dreams for this sacred month, i'd be honored to hear yours! xoxo

a festive evening: happy 10 years tranquil space

2009-10-31T08:49:00.002-04:00

the energy and celebratory vibe from last night's exceeded my wildest dreams. yay for live music by ps24, yummy cider, hot herbal tea, vegetarian food, soup from souper girl, yoga demos, and more! here are a few shots from our birthday bash. more photos are available on the tranquil space facebook fan page. thank you for your support!

donned faux leather leggings, i heart TS tee (cut off sleeves and hand sewed the shoulders to ruche), faux fur jacket, sparkly necklace, and sequin beanie. had my hair blown out + curled a la rachel zoe. love feeling girly, sparkly, and celebratory! shared a few words on the evolution of the studio and thanked everyone in the audience considering *they* all made it possible. video forthcoming, along with the tranquil space 10-year documentary that beau pulled together.

yesterday was all about the fete. today i'm off to g-street fabrics for an all-day sewing with knits class. i've been wanting to take this class for years but it always fell on a day i was out of town or otherwise committed. taking 10 yards of au naturel bamboo fabric and excited to see what unfolds by the end of the day.

tonight beau, louis the pug, and moi head to the cabin and will savor a stop at my fave eatery . . . the olive garden. love me some prosecco, breadsticks, salad, pasta, and chocolate mousse cake. yum! tomorrow is all about the books: paper to write, presentation prep, quiz to study for, and oodles to read!

wishing each of you a truly festive, flavorful, fun halloween! candied apples, costumes, wigs, playfulness, sugar-coated everything, apple cider, pumpkins, and mums. may today be full of more treats than tricks. xoxo

self-love rocks

2009-10-30T17:15:00.003-04:00

the beautiful founder of self-love studio and author of choosing me before we passed along this glowing endorsement that made me smile from ear to ear:

“Tranquilista is the go-to-guide for any woman who wants style, success and soul in her life. Kimberly Wilson has created a life full of style, success and soul and now she's opened up her personal book to share all her smart, sparkly, and super inspiring secrets, girlfriend to girlfriend.” — Christine Arylo, author of Choosing ME before WE

i encourage all of you to tune in THIS wednesday evening for an interview with moi. last week christine interviewed muriel hemingway and she's having an *amazing* group of ladies share their stories in the self-love studio. please tune in.

here's the skinny:

The Details on the Fall Series

WHAT: intimate, up close and personal conversations with some smart women… sharing with you the real deal on how to stop putting everyone and everything else first … to stop driving yourself so hard that you’re killing yourself. They won’t sugar coat and they will give you their wisdom ladies! Imagine it’s the Actors Studio of Self Love with a whole lot of sass and soul… Girlfriend to Girlfriend! These girlfriends just happen to be some of the wisest women teachers out in the world today!
WHEN: 7 Consecutive Wednesdays* October 28 – December 16. Attend as many calls as you want... the more calls, the more love (we’ll skip 11/25). Live calls are totally free. (Recordings, transcripts and bonus worksheets are available for purchase – once you register for the free series, you’ll be taken to a “Thank You” page with information on our Star Upgrade Packages.)
TIME: 6:00-7:00 PM PST/ 9:00-10:00 PM EST – each call is one hour in length
HOW: Have your fingers dial in to the conference call number and listen in from anywhere in the world. You get the conference call phone number after you register for free via an email from Christine Arylo. Long distance charges may apply.
INVESTMENT: You making you a priority! The calls are absolutely FREE… and they are worth a whole lot more than that. An hour with each of these seven women would cost you well over $1000 each, and the calls alone are valued at more than $697.

tranquil space 10-year birthday bash TONIGHT

2009-10-30T13:02:00.004-04:00

it's hard to believe that it has been an entire decade of tranquil spacing. i recall this time of the year ten years ago vividly. i was having my annual lillian reunion (mum, gramma, moi) in louisiana at gramma's (lillian) home. leaves were changing, we were doing our typical small-town louisiana stuff - browsing boutiques, watching movies, doing craft things, eating at sonic drive-in, and i was getting excited about bringing strangers into my living room to do yoga. i recall checking voicemails from louisiana to see who was calling to reserve their space and getting so excited about what i was hoping to create - a community of like-minded people seeking tranquility.

fast forward 10 years. oodles of typical small-business challenges (ex: working 17-hr days, hiring, creating systems, dealing with DC bureaucracy, building out new spaces), even more opportunities (ex: growing by word of mouth, opening in VA and MD, adding a spa, boutique, teacher training, and organic clothing line), a VERY talented team, and a celebration of our efforts TONIGHT.

we'll be streaming tonight's festivities live on ustream so please tune in from 7-9 ET to celebrate with us virtually. beau worked hours and hours on capturing our history via a mini TS10 documentary which will be debuted tonight and available online tomorrow. join us for live music, complimentary tranquility to go CD for first 50 guests, local food, festive apple cider, yoga demos, and mingling off the mat.

it's been a beautiful ride. i pinch myself from time to time completely surprised at how the tiny seed planted in a living room has grown to an organization that brings tranquility to thousands of washingtonians each week. may we continue to evolve into a socially conscious organization that offers oodles and oodles of goodness to our community. thank you for being a part of it by reading this blog, participating in teleclasses, taking classes at our studios, and/or supporting eco-fashion.

may there be ten more years of tranquility. joyeux anniversaire. xoxo

new CD released: tranquility to go

2009-10-29T16:40:00.002-04:00

dearest readers,

i'm excited to share that my latest CD has just arrived complete with a damask-covered disc (well, of course). it's my favorite practice yet complete with humble warrior, bow, pigeon, and oodles of deep lunging. as always, i offer additional practices in case you don't have 70 minutes to devote to the practice. you may chose from bliss du jour, delight du jour, or let go du jour. all destined to bring you tranquility.

i'm giving away 50 complimentary CDs to our first 50 guests at tranquil space's 10-year birthday bash tomorrow night. the rest will be available in the tranquil space boutique and at kimberlywilson.com. i hope you love the practice as much as i loved putting it together.

green thumb: the paper is printed on 100% green forestry practices certified stock with vegetable-based ink AND the clear tray is made with 100% post-consumer soda and water bottles. plus, a portion of all sales will benefit tranquil space foundation AND i'll plant a tree for each CD sold.

happy 10 years tranquil space

2009-10-28T13:30:00.001-04:00

you're invited!
what: tranquil space 10-year birthday bash
where: 1632 17th street, nw
when: THIS friday, october 30 7-9pm
why: we're a decade old

7-8 live music by PS24
8-8:15 run down memory lane by moi
8:15 - 8:30 yoga demos by melissa + mark, siobhan
8:30-9 mingling

throughout the event there will be:
- chair massage by spa manager brooke
- local veggie food pulled together by susanna + carol
- festive, chilled apple cider
- a mini documentary on tranquil space in the earth studio to watch
- shopping in the boutique at 10% off during the entire event
- mingling off the mat with our AMAZING community

**the first 50 people to arrive get a copy of my latest CD, tranquility to go. bring family, friends, and fans to our special celebration.

follow tranquil space. fan tranquil space.

thank you for your support over the years. enjoy the photos walking us down memory lane. ahhh.

let go and open to the flow

2009-10-28T12:56:00.000-04:00

Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become. - Author Unknown

This past weekend I was blessed with the opportunity to bask in three hours of discussion and practice of mindfulness based stress reduction with the talented Gina Sager. Her words of wisdom have haunted me, in a good way, since Sunday. As a very-vatta-need-some-grounding-doer, I was struck that the simplicity of her statements could be so powerful. I kept raising my hand and asking, "Ok, great tips but how do i practice it now . . . and for how long and how often?" I love prescriptions, five simple steps, or a book that will bring the topic to life and help me embody it now. Unfortunately, this practice is all about, well, practice!

In our fast-paced society we love quick fixes. Yoga and meditation offer impressive results (as many of us have experienced) but we do have to make the time to practice. Ah, work. Practice may have a negative connotation around it especially if it reminds you of your swimming or ballet days when your coach or parent encouraged you to practice, practice, practice. I'd like us to reframe it in a positive light as an opportunity. Ultimately an opportunity to let go. Surrender. Embrace change.

Here are my takeaways from the beautiful Sunday morning session in our bamboo studio:

1. Do this work to benefit those who share our lives - a beautiful reminder of our interconnectedness.

2. It matters what you do and how you do it.

3. Mindfulness is moment to moment nonjudgemental awareness.

4. Obstacles are our teachers. Become comfortable with discomfort.

5. Taking time to create space between thought and action allows us to transform how we react.

6. Everything you do and think matters because it affects others.

7. We sit in meditation to train the mind to become more conscious.

8. Balance effort and surrender.

9. Focus on the exhale = let go.

10. It takes 20 minutes for the mind to settle down.

Wow, sounds so simple, right? Yet is such profound, challenging work. Sit still. Be. Breath. Release thoughts. I encourage you to explore this state of being which is a beautiful complement to doing. Start your day with a few minutes of seated meditation. Take a mid-day break to savor a walking meditation around your office building. End your day with ten minutes of reflection. Todd now offers a Sunday morning 9:30 meditation class at our dupont studio for those who'd like to sit in a group. By taking time to nurture yourself, you are able to be fully present and compassionate toward others. Take five deep breaths and let go. Namaste.

connecting creative entrepreneurs

2009-10-27T15:06:00.003-04:00

The oh-so-lovely Jennifer Lee, Lisa Sonora Beam, Britt Bravo and I were on a call the other day talking about how fun it would be to put together an event for creative women entrepreneurs to connect, create, and learn together. We came up with our own description of what an event like that would look like, but we want to hear your thoughts and opinions, too.

We put together a six-question survey to find out what your ideal creative women entrepreneur event would look like. By providing your feedback, you can enter in a raffle to be one of four winners to receive either a half hour social media consulting with Britt, a copy of the Right Brain Business Plan e-Book by Jennifer, a copy of Creative Entrepreneur by Lisa, or a copy of Hip Tranquil Chick by moi on November 16. Click here to take the survey.

Merci beaucoup for your input. We’ll be designing an experience that caters to you AND is what we wish we had when we started our journeys. That’s why we’re excited to create it and for you to be a part of it! xo

tranquility du jour tv: office organization

2009-10-25T18:00:00.001-04:00

-----
i was blessed to win a 2-hour office org session with the lovely kacy paide of the inspired office through tranquil space foundation's online auction. always planning ahead, beau and i decided this quick turnaround of my tiny office would serve as a helpful how-to for tranquility du jour tv watchers. i hope these small, but powerful changes inspire you! xo