Horoscopes by Tracy Allen.

GEMINI

May 21–June 20

The vitalizing sun enters your sign this week, infusing you with yang energy and bringing you out of hiding if you’ve been holed up. And your ruler Mercury—also in Gemini now—gels with Venus and Uranus, allowing you to think quickly and express yourself with creativity and charm. However, disruptive Uranus is doing battle with omnipotent Pluto, setting the tone for everyone’s week. Uranus has been urging you to rebel against groupthink the last couple of years, starting a revolution in your head against your old goals. Your mutating view of what’s possible has changed the landscape of your connections, possibly breaking up a friendship or leading you to join a new group. Your drive to individuate has had an inevitable effect on whom you identify with. Pluto, on the other hand, has had you grappling with the mysteries of life and the concept of mortality, and issues around control, trust and intimacy have demanded your attention. The current interaction of these outer planets highlights the shifts in your relationships with both groups and individuals. Relationships are also the theme of a lunar eclipse later in the week that falls in your partnership house. You’ll have to start facing other people’s feelings and needs that are at odds with your ego and with your desire for more meaningful achievement. Things may reach a crescendo between you and someone else or the shift could happen more slowly during the coming months.

CANCER

June 21–July 22

Although the sun’s entry into your seclusion sector suggests you’ll be in the mood to lie low, two major astrological events this week will make inner peace difficult. Uranus has been in your ambition angle since 2011, causing a radical change in your career track, an urge to do something more unique in the world, a desire to rebel against authority and change the old rules or an abandonment of long-held goals. You want more freedom in your career and may feel constrained by the system or by someone above you. Your impetus to start over in the world is not the only thing on your mind. Pluto in your partnership house since 2008 has intensified your dealings with others and generated profound change in a relationship or in someone close to you. You may have begun a life-altering relationship or encountered endless power struggles in your interactions. When Uranus and Pluto clash early in the week, two or more of these issues will move to the forefront and won’t be easily reconciled. The lunar eclipse at week’s end hints that your health, habits or job will be pushed over the brink in some way, signaling the need for different tactics. If you’re confused about the future and questioning your purpose and productivity, those feelings will be exacerbated by the eclipse. Your challenge now is to espouse your own beliefs and tend to your inner life and spirituality, but still be of service to the world and maintain your humility.

LEO

July 23–August 22

When Uranus and Pluto get into a conflict at the beginning of the week, they call to mind the way in which they’ve been impacting our lives lately. For Leos, Uranus has been introducing you to different ways of seeing the world. Since 2011, you’ve faced circumstances that don’t fit with your old views and subsequently developed fresh perceptions. You may have realized that something about your thinking was wrong, or you’ve simply been drawn to travel and new studies. Since 2008, Pluto has been overhauling either your daily routine, your health or your job, demanding that you get to the bottom of your time-management, habits, self-care, skills, techniques and work ethic—and rebuild. He’s bringing about a slow death and rebirth of the way you do things, while Uranus is shaking up the way you see things, and you may be trying to hold onto the old ways. The lunar eclipse later in the week stimulates your need for self-expression, love and pleasure. A creative project could come to fruition, a love affair might reach a turning point or you may feel like taking a risk to convey what’s in your heart. But sex, jealousy or trust is likely to play a confusing role in the unfolding drama. Your psychic sensitivity is heightened, and a misunderstanding over shared resources isn’t just in your head. Avoid escalating things, as it’s an overstimulating week for everyone.

VIRGO

August 23–September 22

Uranus and Pluto spar this week, their third round of seven spanning from 2012 until 2015. Uranus has instigated sudden changes in joint income or shared resources the last couple of years and made the restrictions placed on you by others seem intolerable. You prefer financial independence over binding obligations to others now, and being in debt to someone causes growing impatience in you. You also might find yourself rebelling against closeness or a change in the power dynamic in a close relationship. Sometime between 2008 and now, Pluto may have brought an intense love affair that’s obsessing you or pressure in your relationship with a child. He could also have you craving deep artistic expression and powerful experiences of joy. You’re determined to create—and possibly procreate. Tension between romance versus true intimacy or self-expression vs. merging arises now. The lunar eclipse later in the week foreshadows a change coming in your living situation, your family or your emotional connection to the past. Something connected with your comfort and security is finished, and it may tie in with your financial independence. Idealizing another person or having to take care of them throws a wrench in things, as does your confusion over one-on-one interactions. And your ambition may also complicate matters. Clearly, it’s a hectic week, but that’s true for all the signs, so don’t bother trying to handle it perfectly—just do the best you can.

LIBRA

September 23–October 22

As Uranus and Pluto quarrel early in the week, they underscore the areas of your life where they’ve been stirring up change. Since 2011, Uranus has either facilitated a breakup or made you want more space in relationships, which almost seems to go against your nature. You have a tendency to partner off, but Uranus has destabilized your relationships, possibly by causing abrupt beginnings or endings and definitely by causing people to throw curveballs at you. If you can view such external events as a potential result of subliminal signals you’re putting out, you’ll gain insight into the dynamic between you and others. And since 2008, Pluto has generated a powerful internal shift in you, as family problems, psychological issues and emotion-laden memories have reemerged. Examine any regressive behavior on your part that’s resulted from this, and understand that your family relationships or your home life are changing, and so must you. Process your feelings rather than trying to get a firm grip on them. The lunar eclipse at week’s end gives you an emotional mindset and portends a shift in your mentality and communication. If your work is not gratifying your ego, that may propel a change in your thinking. Whether you’re disillusioned by your job and fantasizing about the ideal occupation or are confused by your coworkers, what’s crucial is that you do work that is in the spirit of service to others.

SCORPIO

October 23–November 21

With revolutionary Uranus in your responsibilities zone the last couple of years, you’ve switched jobs, been given fresh opportunities at your current job or sought a change in work that will offer you more independence. You may feel like rebelling against a stale routine or dull duties, and new skills are promising increased freedom of movement. It’s possible that a health issue has disrupted your life or that other changes have impacted your efficiency, and a shakeup of your habits is in order. With your ruler Pluto in your mentality sector since 2008, a heavier tone has crept into your communication, and deep psychological change has altered your habitual mindset. Many things that you’ve considered to be givens are now up for debate, as you undergo a process of intense self-questioning. You’re taking things apart and putting them back together in your head, and the constant rumblings of rethinking may be disturbing. A crisis with a sibling is also a strong possibility. When Uranus and Pluto square off this week, the changes in your everyday life will be accentuated. You can’t ignore the fact that the way you do things and the way you think about things is dramatically transforming. Later in the week, a lunar eclipse brings a money issue to a head or triggers a blowup with someone over values. Remember to watch out for emotional overspending. Your attitude toward finances, possessions and assets needs to shift, in alignment with an unfolding change in how you use your talents and how you value your own worth. The eclipse may also exacerbate your idealization of a love interest or your role as savior; a misunderstanding with children; confusion over what will bring happiness and personal fulfillment; a longing for creative self-expression; or escape into romantic fantasy. Keep returning to what you instinctively know is most real and most vital to your growth.

SAGITTARIUS

November 22–December 21

You’ve been in the mood to experiment with new forms of self-expression, creativity and amusement the last couple of years, thanks to Uranus in your play sector. Unconventional attractions, sudden crushes and unexpected pregnancies may have come into your life, and you could be drawn to telling a story, giving voice to your unique individuality. And since 2008, Pluto has been transforming your financial status and your values. Your source of income may even be completely different. You probably feel a compulsion to control your money and your possessions, but maintaining the status quo is futile, as this part of your life is inevitably changing. Don’t hold onto what no longer serves you. Rather, dig deeper for untapped resources and talents. When Uranus and Pluto go at it this week, they’ll force you to think about what you’re really made of and what you’ve got going for you. Later in the week, a lunar eclipse in Sag highlights your needs and emotions and suggests that something about your ego identity is reaching fruition and needs to shift. The possibility of reinventing yourself can invigorate you, but a vague longing for stability and wellbeing, disillusionment with a parent or home life or escaping into memories may steer you off course. Lastly, understand that your relationships are bound to be affected by what’s going on with you internally.

CAPRICORN

December 22–January 19

Both Uranus and Pluto are instigating changes in everyone’s lives, and when they butt heads this week, we all take notice. Uranus has brought upsetting changes in your base the last couple of years, altering your living situation or your family and possibly making you feel like rebelling against your tribe. You’ve had your share of personal emotional upheaval, but it’s helping you to break free from your past. No longer bound to your legacy and family patterns the way you were, you’re acquiring a more independent view of comfort and security. Pluto has been in your sign since 2008, dismantling the structure of your old ego and rebuilding a stronger version. You’re more ambitious than ever, but make doubly sure that you’re not transforming yourself for purely self-serving reasons. Ideally, Pluto wants you to be the best you can be, not to conquer and pillage. With such massive change going on within your personality, facing your own dark side will help you to deliberately become more of a force for good in the world. We’re all better off if we make some attempt to get in touch with our own mysterious inner workings. To that end, the lunar eclipse later in the week brings unconscious emotions to the surface and could put a spiritual crisis of sorts in motion that’s in keeping with freeing you from the past. Something is coming to a necessary end, but unclear communication, clouded judgment, indecisiveness or deception could complicate matters. Even if it’s not pretty, listen to what your intuition is telling you about yourself.

AQUARIUS

January 20–February 18

With your ruler Uranus in your cognition-and-communication house the last couple of years, your everyday encounters have changed, and you’re looking at life in a different way—noticing things you didn’t notice before and expressing yourself in a new way. Your habitual mindset has been disrupted, and the tempo of your daily life has quickened. You’ve received information that’s changed things and maybe taken some unexpected trips. Maybe you’ve even startled yourself with some brilliant insights and ideas. Pluto has been in your subconscious sector since 2008, bringing up deeply buried contents from your psyche and possibly causing you to self-sabotage or break down. Having to face the karmic fallout from past actions and dealing with stuff you’ve repressed hasn’t exactly been a walk in the park. Guilt can be rather pointless, especially when compared to contrition—it often benefits neither you nor anyone else and fails to move you or the situation forward. Deal head-on with what’s been hidden, and stop allowing it to have undue influence over you. A lunar eclipse later in the week draws your attention outside yourself, as something involving friendships, your professional network, your social environment or the needs of a group comes to light. You may be starting to head in a new direction and need to first consider how you’re handling recent successes and failures. Your interests and achievements have placed you in certain contexts that are due to shift. Confusion over what you really have going for you, dissolving finances, elusive self-worth, materialism, a yearning for security or disillusionment about your self-sufficiency will impact your current state of mind. Reorient your values from the ground up if you have to.

PISCES

February 19–March 20

This week, you can’t help but notice the changes that have been taking place in your life the last few years, because two change-oriented planets confront each other, giving rise to tension. Uranus has caused your finances or possessions to be in flux, giving you anxiety over security. Your income or how you make money may have been modified radically, shifting your sense of worth. On the positive side, your attitude towards wealth and material goods has been altered, and you may feel freer. But since the abrupt gains and losses haven’t been by choice, the instability is likely to be rather scary. Pluto has killed off some old goals (and possibly some friendships) and has birthed new ones. Your ideals and interests are changing, and you may be meeting powerful contacts or deepening your connections with the circle of people in your life. Maybe you’re determined to change something about the world or you’re just transforming your own social and professional landscape. The fight between Uranus and Pluto is calling you to look at how you’re dealing with the things that have already happened. Later in the week, a lunar eclipse brings something in your career to fruition—or it could bring a blowup with your boss. In any case, a change in your path is coming, and you’d do well to ask yourself what you truly require of your status in the world. The downside of having Neptune in your sign lately is that you may be feeling extra sensitive, weak-willed, fatigued, aimless, escapist, vulnerable, dependent or deluded. Work on coming across as clearly as possible to others and on maintaining a firm grasp of reality even during the tough times when it’s tempting to get lost in dreamland.

ARIES

March 21–April 19

With Uranus the Awakener in Aries the last couple of years, you’ve been in the process of breaking free from the limitations of your old identity. Uranus favors quick, unpredictable change, shaking your life up in an exciting or unsettling way, depending on how you look at it. Pluto, Lord of the Underworld, has been in your ambition angle since 2008; his type of change is slower and deeper. He’s been transforming your life direction, giving you the power to achieve your goals or the psychological depth to discover them. These two planets argue this week, for the third time since last summer, making it almost impossible for you not to note both the abrupt and protracted shifts happening in your life. You may relate more easily to your drive for freedom than your drive for success, but they’re both influencing you. And when a lunar eclipse lands in your philosophy sector, it foreshadows a modification of your worldview. You can grow in the coming months by altering what you expose yourself to, possibly traveling more or pursuing education. The lure of leaving a productive path forward and getting lost in denial, fear or escapism threatens your growth. If you’re harboring a feeling of vulnerability and alienation, assuage it by seeking a larger context and connecting with something beyond yourself. Your underlying emotions are as valid as your rational intellect. It’s important to honor the full spectrum of things going on inside you.

TAURUS

April 20–May 20

Thanks to erratic Uranus in your subconscious zone, you’ve been dealing with instability in the last couple of years that stems from causes you’re unaware of, and as a sign that craves constancy, the subversive disruptions have been especially unsettling. But rather than bracing yourself for the next unexpected event, try facing the skeletons in your closet. Unconscious compulsions are surely generating some of the instability (including an ending or two), and repressed or purposely hidden things are being revealed in a startling manner. At the same time, death-and-rebirth Pluto in your perspective house has been killing off old ideas before gestating new ones. Your wisdom has been deepening, through visceral experiences and perhaps even crises. The danger is that you might become rather obsessed with your beliefs and veer towards preaching and proselytizing. The lunar eclipse this week highlights an issue of self-sufficiency versus sharing, intimacy and trust. You’ve hit a wall in this area and need to alter something or let go of it. Thinking about how two people change each other on a profound level can help you to understand what the eclipse is trying to shift. But another part of your life may be affecting your ability to shift: You’re longing for what’s next and unsure whom you identify most with and how you fit in with people these days. You may be idealizing your dreams and yearning to save the world, or you’re simply confused about where you’re headed. As difficult as it is for a Taurus, work on aligning yourself with the inevitability of change.

Email tracy@tracyallenastrology.com and mention Free People to get $25 off your first reading!

Top image via here.

More horoscopes on BLDG 25!

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The third post in our series for May, healthy juice recipes from Kelsi Windmiller!

The next juice recipe I would like to share is for carrot ginger juice. It is extremely simple but completely delicious. Quality ingredients are key to creating good juices, so try to find local carrots and organic oranges for this recipe. It will make a huge difference! The carrot juice will give you a large dose of beta-carotene that will help boost your immune system as well as promote healthy eyes and skin. Ginger is very potent and has been known to boost energy, aid digestion, and reduce fat accumulation, making it a great addition for a juice cleanse. See what kinds of oranges you can find at your local market. I recommend adding a blood orange to this recipe. They make the juice naturally sweet and add vitamin C.

Carrot Ginger Juice

1 Bunch Carrots

4 Oranges (Navel, Valencia, Blood, etc.)

1 Ginger Root (about the size of your palm)

Start by rinsing the dirt off the carrots — they do not need to be peeled. Remove the green tops and if you need to, cut them to fit through your juicer. Using a serrated knife, cut all of the rind off the oranges and separate to fit though the juicer. Break or cut apart the ginger. Run all of your ingredients through the juicer and mix. If you find the juice is too spicy from the ginger try adding another orange or water to dilute it. Otherwise, enjoy your fresh homemade juice!

More healthy recipes from the BLDG 25 Blog!

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When I found out we were heading to Napa Valley for BottleRock festival my heart started racing a little. I had always wanted to go to Napa Valley. The picture perfect scenery always made me question how this place can actually exist. Acres and acres of vineyards, beautiful countryside and winding roads… it just seemed too perfect – it doesn’t help that I’m also a lover of wine.

When we arrived in Napa you could instantly smell the fresh air. Fields and fields surround you and you get the urge to go off the beaten track to explore more. If you did you know you would come across something extraordinary. We stayed at a guest house owned by Barbara Colvin Hoopes; a white wood house situated right on a vineyard. The backyard was covered with rose bushes. The sweet smell woke us up every morning along with the sunrise.

Napa Valley is what I thought it was: picture perfect; the type of place you could go to write a book, recharge your batteries, clear your mind and just revitalize. It’s truly beautiful and I’m itching to go back!

Free People Blog

All week long I have been listening nonstop to our collaborative Summer Love Mixtape! You guys all chose such amazing songs and I’ve been introduced to some great artists, both new and old, which is always the best thing about these collaborative playlists…but it also made it really difficult to select a winner! After some careful consideration, we’ve chosen Anna, from the UK, who submitted the songs below and a beautiful description to go along with them. Listening to her songs conveyed the same feeling as the words below and transported me to a sunny California day spend driving up the coast. Listen to her playlist below – a few of her songs were unavailable so I’ve included them beneath the playlist as well! Thank you all again for participating :).

1. Magic Everywhere – Jonathan Wilson
2. Beach Baby – Bon Iver
3. America – Simon & Garfunkel
4. Things Behind the Sun – Nick Drake
5. Don’t Watch Me Dancing – Little Joy
6. Boy in the Bubble – Paul Simon
7. Candomble – Mario Castro Neves
8. Eyesdown – Bonobo
9. Loaded – Primal Scream
10. Sunrise – Hannah Cohen

“These are the days of miracle and wonder.”

More music from the BLDG 25 Blog!

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Each week, we pull some of our favorite FP Me photos from our new style community. If you’re not  familiar with FP Me, now is the time to check it out! It’s fun once you  start seeing all the different ways women are wearing Free People product. We  often get some great styling tips from those who upload photos. So, if you find  yourself wearing a Free People item one day, find the product on our site and upload a pic of yourself. Every week we will post looks we love. Here are a few favorites from this week, and click on the link below the photos to check out each profile!

Above: AmandaSanft

maialark

fpjessica

FPalanna

Coconutandlime

View the complete FP  Me Style Pic Gallery.

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I hope you guys have enjoyed this week’s diary of a wellness retreat! I would recommend to everyone that they try something like this in their lifetime. The experience, and the learnings I have taken from it, will stay with me always. For today’s final post I want to share my top 5 learnings from this incredible weekend at Sagrada Wellness! View parts 1 – 4 here.

1. Take time to be silent.

Challenge yourself to be silent for a specified period of time each day. For some people this may be extremely difficult; for others, not so much. Either way, it’s incredibly beneficial to your mental state. Think about the amount of conversations you have in a given day, and the sheer quantity of thoughts, responsibilities, questions, and hopes that constantly run in circles around your brain. It can be really overwhelming. Take the time to be silent – I recommend doing it outside. Find a peaceful spot where no one is around, and just be for a little while. I spent about two hours one day lying in a hammock by myself. I just listened to the sounds around me, and I felt so relaxed afterwards. The stress I was feeling just slowly slipped away.

2. Respect your body

Your body is one of the few “things” in life you get for free. Realize what an amazing gift it is, and respect it. Pay close attention to your body and what it is trying to tell you. If you feel stressed or anxious, it is likely your body trying to tell you something. Maybe it’s telling you that you need to rest, or that you need to feed it healthier things. This learning actually goes hand in hand with number one. In moments of silence, think about your body – think about each limb, and think about what is going on inside you. Give your body the attention it needs and deserves.

3. A feeling can’t be “wrong”

Have you ever felt something, and had someone tell you that you shouldn’t be feeling that way? Or maybe something is bothering you, and someone tells you you should be over it? It happens a lot – it has definitely happened to me – and we need to realize that if we’re feeling something, it isn’t “wrong.” If something is bothering you, acknowledge that feeling and let it exist. You don’t need to feel regret or guilt over having a feeling. Acknowledge the feeling, and face it head on. Maybe just acknowledging it will allow you to see if from a different perspective, or help you make peace with the feeling. Or maybe it will lead you on a path towards what the real problem is. When you face your feelings and emotions head on, everything starts to become clear.

4. You are stronger than you think.

Human beings have an incredible strength. It really blows my mind sometimes – our ability to overcome difficulties and tragedy is truly amazing. Until you are actually faced with a difficult circumstance, you may not realize your capacity to overcome. But know that it is there. We all have an amazing strength inside of us, and when you really challenge yourself you may just be surprised. It could be something as small as climbing up a hill – which always brings to mind the Pink Floyd quote, one of my favorites:

“You say the hill’s too steep to climb. Climb it. You say you’d like to see me try. Climbing. You pick the place and I’ll choose the time. And I’ll climb the hill in my own way.”

If your instinct is telling you you can’t do something, prove it wrong. Most likely you will.

5. This society is not built to support creative & sensitive individuals.

Somebody said this during the fire ceremony, and it really rang a bell in my mind. Modern society expects so much of us. It expects us to follow a certain path, to act a certain way, to uphold certain values. But some of us beat to our own drum. An internal rhythm that nobody else can quite understand. But put us in a room together, and there’s a spark. We recognize something – one look into another person’s eyes and you see it – that instant understanding. “Oh! You feel it too.” When you come across these people in life, you know who they are. Don’t brush them off as weird or abnormal. Embrace their individuality, and embrace their beautiful minds.

Have any of you ever attended a wellness retreat? What were your biggest learnings? I’d love to hear!

Thank you again to Sagrada Wellness for an incredible weekend.

Free People Blog

This week was pretty eventful at the home office! From the all-company meeting to our catalog team leaving for Paris, a lot seemed to be going on around here. We also had the pleasure of hosting two special FP Me users along with some of our store stylists. Take a look at all the excitement that was going down!

Balloons falling from the ceiling during the last part of our company meeting.

People waiting in line to receive free ice cream bars after the meeting. What a treat!

Early in the week we were instructed to write what inspired us on the outside of a balloon (the ones you saw falling from the ceiling in that photo above). The result is an inspirational balloon wall!

FP Me user AmandaSanft shopping around the Walnut Street store.

Suitcases ready to leave for Paris!

lobby meetings.

On set in the studio.

Our creative assistant being sneaky.

I hope everyone has a fun weekend!

More scenes from the office.

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Last week we showed you how to create one of our favorite head scarf looks, and this week we’re showing you another. The head scarf is one of those looks that you will probably wear on more than one occasion during the summer months: at the beach, strolling around on summer days with your friends or even at a festival. It add a certain interest to your look that we love. Here’s how to create a summer head scarf, look two!

Step one: Using a lightweight scarf like our Asymmetrical Ikat Scarf,fold a couple of times so it’s a nice width to wrap around your head. Place the center of the scarf at the front of the head and wrap to the back.

Step two: Bring the scarf back around the the front and wrap again.

Step three: At the side of the head tie a small knot and then another.

Step four: Finally, tie a loose bow and let it hang.

There you have it, a head scarf look for the summer!

Shop our scarves.

More fashion inspiration on BLDG 25.

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This month we have a bunch of new styles from our FP New Romantics line, which is one of my favorite Free People labels. I always love how pretty and feminine the pieces make me feel – and they’re always so flattering. This month I was really excited to see some of the pieces take on a geometric twist. With bolder colors and really interesting cutwork, there’s such a fun assortment of new pieces, and today I’m showing you three of my favorites!

Shop New Romantics.

With the Paisley Punch Dress, it was love at first sight for me. It’s flowy and beautiful with a delicate print and an incredible neckline. I kept it pretty simple and just added a bunch of rings, a couple of structured bracelets, and a pair of sunglasses!

The Mayan Temple Dress is geo to the max. Look at the incredible cutwork on the back and neckline! This is such a “wow” piece. I felt like I was on top of the world in this dress. The patterns, the draping, the slit in the back… I’m in love. It’s a glamorous dress that can easily be dressed up or dressed down. I went with a bit of both by adding the Empire Belt and the Magic Heel, and throwing my hair in a quick side braid.

The Carnival Baseball Jacket is so COOL. It’s like your classic baseball jacket, except not at all. It has satin, embroidery, embellishment – the works. I like this piece styled with a black mini dress (like the Fitted With Daisies Dress) some cool black boots (like the Dylan Ankle Boot), and hair in a high pony. Totally ready to kick it, wherever.

Have a look at the FP New Romantics line for yourself! :)

Photos by Jana.

Free People Blog

It’s hard to believe that the retreat is almost over…it feels like just yesterday that I arrived at Sagrada. The last day starts with another hike – this one more invigorating than the previous morning. We walk up a steep incline to the highest point on Scott and Eva’s land, which overlooks Santa Margarita, a small community of artists and families that has the look and feel of an old western town. The land here is largely untouched. As we walk we pass bushes of button sage that smell absolutely incredible and patches of wildflower in breathtaking shades of yellow and purple. With each step I think about how few people have walked there before me, and feel honored to be there. When we reach the top we stand in silence for a while, taking it all in. We all know that the end of our journey is nearing, and we are all a little bit hesitant to head back down the mountain.

After the hike is breakfast and our final yoga class. I savor every moment of it, knowing it will likely be my last time practicing in this beautiful space, with Aaron. I’m a bit shaky on my feet, since we’ve been so active the entire time and my body is starting to feel a little bit tired and sore, but I also feel invigorated. I feel like I’ve been re-awakened to my love of yoga and I’m already thinking about finding a new studio when I get home. One that makes me feel as serene and inspired as this space – if you have any suggestions, I’m all ears!

By the end of the retreat this rabbit and I were buds – he was no longer afraid of me. Instead, when I approached him he started rolling around in the dirt like a happy cat!

Mementos.

Check out the rest of my wellness retreat diary. My top 5 overall learnings are coming tomorrow!

Photos by Julia.

Free People Blog

The memories of BottleRock festival came flooding back today after looking through our photo albums. Beautiful moments were captured and one of the most prominent was the incredible lineup the festival hosted, from Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros to The Black Keys. It was a festival that was non-stop. Great act after great act graced us each day and come the evening we were blown away with an incredible headliner – BottleRock did not want us to forget about this festival, that’s for sure.

The atmosphere was chilled as the crowd soaked in the good vibes from the artists. It created a nice community – music is known for “bringing people together.”

Here are our music highlights from BottleRock, Napa!

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

The Dirty Projectors

Allah-Las

The Flaming Lips

Alabama Shakes

The Avett Brothers

The Black Keys

Photos by Thomas Northcut

Free People Blog

This post is part of our restricted diet series from Beth of Tasty Yummies.

I am sure you have heard me mention either on here, or over on my blog Tasty Yummies, how much I adore cooking seasonal food. I get inspired by simply opening my weekly CSA box or walking through the rows of local vendors at our neighborhood farmers market, and nothing pleases me more than letting a dish create itself just from what is most fresh and in season right now. It always makes for the best dishes.

This week when I was strolling the aisles at my farmers market, I was perusing all of the beautiful local spring produce and I was inspired to create this simple, flavorful potato salad. I love the complimentary textures of the soft baby red potatoes with the crunch from the snap peas and the radishes, and the colors are just so beautiful. Traditional creamy mayo based potato salad pales in comparison to this light vegan potato salad, which is great as a lunch entree or a side at dinner. It would be perfect as a side at a BBQ where you have vegan or egg-free guests.

What’s some of your favorite Spring produce?

Spring Potato Salad with Sugar Snap Peas and Radishes – Gluten-Free + Vegan

serves 4 to 6

Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons whole grain dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

Salad

1 lb baby red potatoes, washed and cut into 1/2-inch slices

1/2 lb sugar snap peas, trimmed

1 small bunch radishes, 4  to 6, trimmed and sliced thin

1 /2 small red onion, sliced thin

2 tablespoons fresh mint, sliced thin

salt and pepper, to taste

Whisk the 4 dressing ingredients together in a small bowl to combine. Set aside.

Set up an ice bath in a large bowl, by filling it with cold water and ice cubes. Meanwhile bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a rolling boil, add the sugar snap peas and blanch for 1 to 2 minutes, immediately remove the snap peas to the ice bath with a slotted spoon. Leave the pot of water on the stove and over a medium-high heat. Add the potatoes to the same pot and bring the water back to a boil. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender.

Drain the potatoes and if you want to cool them quicker, run some cold water over them.

Once the snap peas and potatoes are cooled and drained (you can pat them dry to make sure they are nice and dry), add them to a large serving bowl with radishes, onion and fresh mint. Mix the dressing and pour over the salad. Toss gently to combine. Salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve at room temperature or cold, and enjoy!

For more of Beth’s recipes visit her blog Tasty Yummies.

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