I won’t lie, when Drew and I got in the car Saturday morning I was crossing my fingers and praying to the sweet Lord above that Yoga would be canceled. It had rained all day the day before, so I was convinced there was no way they would drag 20 plus people to the wet sandy beaches of Santa Monica to do Vinyasa… oh but there is way, it’s called a yoga mat and determination. Nike Training Club just couldn’t let us go to breakfast without turning our bodies in unnatural positions first. The strange thing is, that in a euphoric delusional state you believe those pretzel inspired poses to feelmore natural then the fetal position. It’s sick really… but I’m not going to say that I didn’t love it, because I did, it was down right bliss full. Damn their determination.
Seriously though, doing warrior poses to the gentle roar of the waves and laughter of the gulls, whilst sun light is being poured down from heaven above and the hills of Malibu glisten in the early morning, is truly dreamy. Also, just to prove the big guy upstairs has a good sense of humor, the second we said Namaste the skies clouded over, a cool breeze swept the beach and the fog rolled in… not even kidding.
After our bodies were covered in sand and molded like Gumby, we went to breakfast at the cutest little spot near the Ocean. At Cora’s Cafe you sit nestled under a vine laden canopy, sipping coffee, and eves dropping on all the fabulous conversations around you or maybe thats just me, but you guys, there was a real californian sitting by us and the way he chattered on just made me giggle, I couldn’t help myself.
Our intent after brunch…lunch? Who really knows… was to go hiking in Malibu, but given the weather and the fact that we thought my car got stolen (not to worry it was just a case of two identical ramps existing right next to each other and my car not knowing it should magically apear in the appropriate one) we opted for a drive through the canyon and hiking inland (because frankly, we are so inland [Hannah, that is for you]). Hours later, after long luxurious car rides (mmm traffic) we end up at Laurel Canyon. We were going to hike! Going to, being the key words here. The parking situation ended up being asinine and frankly there was great risk of it being a tit bit nippely out, so what do we do? Go get milk shakes, thats what! Or rather the most magnificent specimen of a raw, dairy free, spinach, cashew, smoothy that tasted like the best shamrock shake of your life! No joke. It was unreal. I kid you not I could drink another one right now.
Several hours later the evening ended with cuddles on the sofa, 50/50 making us laugh/cry, hair cuts (for Drew, don’t worry I didn’t self mutilate) and an empty bottle of wine. All in all a great night.
This day had potential to be tragic. My horoscope was rather foreboding, predicting that my normally nurturing nature would crack and I would loose it if I wasn’t careful, which nearly happened.
Yoga was not at the top of my priority list, but it ended up being absolutely magical. Brunch with friends was brilliant, but following that feeling of bliss with a feeling of dread as Drew and I scoured the parking ramp, from to to bottom, for a half hour, made my heart sink like a stone (this would be where I, in a panic, called my mom, using a strangers phone, and then proceded to nearly loose it). Once our vehicle was located things once again could have gone awry. I tend to like for things to go as planned, they don’t have to be perfect, but I really like looking forward to things and given the nature of a 2 I have a hard time letting things go when they don’t work out (not hiking). However, we all rolled with the punches, which turned what could have been flustering and frustrating into an opportunity to just enjoy each other and the company of good people. Not to mention those shakes nearly put us into a happiness induced coma.
Mind over matter? Perhaps. Though I think in this case mindfulness, awareness of self, and a little namaste went a long way.
xx
