Taking the Practice Off the Mat

It seems like I am always “inquiring”. Asking questions, gathering information and trying to come to a rationale conclusion, is a formula I’ve been administrating in my career for over a decade, but it wasn’t until recently, when I refrained from getting on a boat, did I start to second guess my life.

Coby Kozlowski, M.A., E-RYT, is a yogi, artist and life coach. At her recent Yoga Leadership class at Hand to Heart Yoga in Buffalo, NY’s Elmwood Village, I was awakened to the fact that I would not fight for my survival. Call it my open and calm energy mixed with a know-it-all sense (a work in progress) or just a resistance to role-playing; my laissez-faire attitude shocked me. It could also be exhaustion from embarking on my 14th move, but energy is life.

I never wanted to move to the “forgotten part” of Massachusetts last year, but I felt that I had to. Ironically, Kozlowski hails from the tiny town in Western Massachusetts where I lived.

Not one to shy away from a challenge or newness, I took the plunge and left New York for an area where I knew no one, but realized it was a mistake from the start. I appreciate the amazing friendships and a love for practicing yoga that came out of my time there, and like so many things in nature I came to the realization that life is self-correcting.

Remove any belief system; what society says and accepting the self-inquisition of what feels correct can be very empowering. Hearing the nay saying demons that creep into our inner thoughts, or those that come from someone else, can take a toll. What is important to recognize is, many times it’s that other person’s “stuff” not yours. But how do you take those thoughts that aren’t your own? We simply recognize this and don’t have to believe them. Certainly if more than one person is giving the same critique, it may be time to pause and take action.

Yoga is the practice tolerating the consequences of being you, according to Kozlowski, and finding that equilibrium is the challenge. While it is also about full expression, with twists and turns, so is life or else it would be a flat line.

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony,” Mahatma Gandhi, Indian philosopher and political leader

Knowing when to stay, is when your call to something is that strong. Being authentic and accountable (a process), calm, pausing for the urges, are all going to surround your “calling”.

As humanity evolves, so do our individual lives. So, what are you and what do you want to be? What is the impact you think you have on this world? What is your actual impact?

Coming up with a self-mantra can help one start to answer these questions. It can take time or it can hit you all at once. I would like to leave the world better than how I inherited it. How do I achieve this? No idea, but it’s comforting to know that I have this whole “wild and precious life” to figure it out.

What would you grow?

It’s that time of year. Garden stores are bringing out their patio sets and gardeners are plotting their patches for seed planting. Below are some of my favorite container and garden plants to plot for the upcoming season.

HERBS

Most varieties of herbs are practically foolproof and can even be grown in pots. From mint leaves in a thirst-quenching Mint Julep, sage on grilled chicken, to dill on salmon; herbs change the flavor of dishes and drinks.

Sage

BEETS

Of all the root vegetables, beets are my favorite. They are easy-to-grow, sturdy plants and can be stored all winter long in a root cellar or closet. Preparing them is easy as well, they can be pickled or roasted with salt and pepper; the temporary finger stains are worth it.

WILD RASPBERRIES

Picking them brings back childhood memories, and the sweet and tart flavor on a hot summer day is refreshing. Finding them is like discovering a treasure.

PEAS

I love to pick them out of the garden and eat them raw.

Brinner

The hardest part about making breakfast for dinner is the number of options one has to prepare. From bacon to biscuits choices are abundant and tasty.

Bacon and sesame seeds

At the most recent Cooka Nostra cookbook club meeting, the group decided to go with a theme instead of focus on one book. The turnout was sweet, savory and economical.

For a variety of reasons, we loved eating typical morning foods for dinner, aka “Brinner”.

Jennifer said she liked it because it’s a different perspective to a meal.

I like it because it brings back memories of a host family in Dublin, Ireland who used to serve omlettes for dinner; something I occasionally do today.

The turnout was great and the front-runners from our evening were the frittata, fruit and dip, and Bloody Mary’s.

Lynn has been making her non-recorded family frittata for years, but she admitted to using Giada De Laurentiis’ recipe as a guideline and added some of her own blend of ingredients.

“I would normally use asparagus, but I thought spinach and mushrooms would be a good winter alternative and I typically use Romano cheese, but this time I tried Asiago,” Lynn said.

For the special occasion she also added prosciutto!

Julie stuck with a Paula Deen recipe and adjusted the ingredients to make it less fattening. Not only was the fruit tray and dip a great way to start the meal, it was delish to nosh on while playing cards and chatting. For the complete recipe click here.

Chocolate cupcakes with bacon - brilliant!

(Chocolate covered strawberries, not too bad either).

A spicy Bloody Mary is great in the morning or at night, and I like to make them spicy. Starting with the usual serving of vodka (Belvedere or Grey Goose recommended) and fill the glass with Clamato juice and ice. Season with salt, pepper, fresh dill, and four dashes of Tabasco sauce. Garnish with a slice of lemon or lime.

“The dill makes it!” Laura said.

You’re invited

Sunday is like a holiday to many people. It’s that one night (day for some E! viewers) that we leave the doldrums of a Northeast winter behind and bring our sun-deprived eyes to the golden coast. It’s Oscar® night and whether you have a faux red carpet to walk down or you’re going to be watching it from the comfort of a couch, champagne is in order.

You don’t have to attend the Vanity Fair party, to party like the stars, but no matter where you find yourself on this annual occasion, it is important to know how to open a bottle of bubbly.

Patrick Watson of Brooklyn Wine Exchange is here to avoid any embarrassment or breaking of a family heirloom. Thanks to Daily Candy.

It doesn’t have to be Moet, anything that tastes good to you. Veuve Clicquot is nice, but still on the pricey side. Andre actually has a very tasty and non-headachy strawberry (any leftover makes for great champagne cupcakes).

Cheers! Pretend you’re amongst the celebs. Colin Firth will surely be raising a glass. Natalie Portman, probably not so much. I like to channel Grace Kelly.

Now back to my Oscar® picks . . .

It’s the Journey, Not the Number

The past two weeks I met stress and the verdict is still out on if I conquered it. Over-scheduling and multi-tasking are nothing new but a new job, a new home and a new age can be a bit cumbersome at 33.

No longer are schlepping boxes, meeting new people and waking-up in unfamiliar territory easy tasks to feel comfortable in. The body just isn’t as flexible, despite all the yoga, Pilates and dancing. Perhaps the memory needs to be worked on. For those of us that are sensitive, maybe leaving a house because there is one better suited does not always mean it’s easy to uproot.

Nonetheless, a new position and deciding to move are two choices we can make in life. Turning a year older however . . . well, it’s better than the alternative. I was recently inspired by Karlen Chase’s article, in which she counts what she has learned in the past 33 years, not so much the number of moves or gray hairs. So I decided to reflect on where I’ve called home for the past three decades and what I took away from my stays as I globe trotted.

New York State: Where life began and dreams were sprouted. Imagination got its start and Western New York is always home to go back to.

Ohio: Middle America. A roller coaster summer of awesomeness.

Dublin, Ireland: The closest place to heaven on Earth. The farther from home I got, the more people I met that were like me. Rosie cheeks, pints and tiny cigars. Stumbling upon a cottage George Bernard Shaw lived in during my usual hike up Dalkey Hill and going past the tower where Joyce wrote Ulysses because it was on my morning commute.

Rochester, NY: A first real (and still favorite apartment). Roving reporter. Real relationship. Good practice for life.

New York City: “Came here for school, graduated to the high life, Ball players, rap stars, addicted to the limelight, MDMA got you feeling like a champion, The city never sleeps better slip you a Ambien.” The Village and the Upper East Side, still a second home and where my heart is. Went there searching for life and got a story of a lifetime, friends forever and learned how to walk away.

Massachusetts: I didn’t want you. Serendipitous to have met certain people and two that moved there at the same time. Historical. Beautiful. Quiet.

Buffalo, NY: Apparently you can go home again, and pick up right where you left off. But this time, life is really fabulous and there are great friends, many laughs and expectations that I can’t even begin to map out because they are just going to be that good.

Single: Many aren’t afraid to tell me they always thought I’d be married by now. Sometimes I think it’s sad to admit I am incredibly happy because I am not, nor have I been, married. Perhaps it’s because I’m content and it’s hard to meet someone with the same life experiences. I’ve decided the latter is actually a great problem to have, because I’ve filled a life with lots of stories in a somewhat short period of time. I also have a hunch, what is around the corner will be worth the wait.

Gray: The plan is to age gracefully. Welcome gray hair because it will make me more distinguished and others will treat me with more respect. Wrong. The aforementioned is achieved in via mind and wisdom. Sure, presentation is important, but seeking that polished yet sexy Diane Sawyer look isn’t done by being natural. I recently went back to my roots – literally; and guess what, blonds do have more fun.

The Cookbook Club

Julia Child started cooking at 32, and she said, up until then she just ate. If there is anything we learned from her and other culinary greats, is it’s essential to have a love affair with your food in life.

A cookbook club was my idea. Having more creative thoughts in a single morning than some may have in a week, combined with energy, can be more of a curse than a blessing.

I accepted the members that showed interest. Some of us have been friends for decades, while others are new acquaintances. Devour this blog post to get a taste of what our monthly meetings or meals consist of. While we are a secret group, there is no hidden agenda to cookbook club, aka the Cooka Nostra.

The time following the holidays for me is always a downer, so I thought it would be uplifting to have the Initial Meeting of Cooka Nostra in early January. In compliance with the time of year, I chose the winter section of Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Parties! for the group. With two soups, an appetizer, ham for the main course, a side of sweet potatoes and apple crisp for dessert, we had an instant feast for seven.

Snacking on fresh vegetables with a crisp Tzatziki dip was a great way to start the night, brought to the dinner by Julie. This healthy and light snack, combined with Jason’s contribution of a refreshing Pinot Grigio, was a great palate cleanser.

Excellent to be served with drinks

Sitting down to a delicious steaming hot bowl of Fennel Soup Gratin and melted, freshly shredded Gruyere Cheese on top, is the way to any cheese lover’s heart; but while tasty, we soon learned Brad’s contribution was just a tease to our taste buds.

Not to be gluttonous, but we had two soups that evening. Matt’s Butternut Squash Soup soon followed. He altered Ina’s recipe by using just one Macintosh apple and added a little extra onion. Not only was it the group’s favorite dish, it was also the most surprising.

Many thought there was a secret ingredient to the soup

The main course was greeted with comments like, “When I eat ham it’s never this good.” That’s because Lynn, who never cooked a ham, also changed her dish with cranberry orange chutney, to bring out the orange flavor from the orange zest and juice. Like Lynn, I cannot stick to a recipe, which makes me a horrible baker. Nonetheless, I attempted the Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp. Making it healthier, I used whole-wheat flour and organic oatmeal. In the future, I’m going back to my own recipe, which is much more simple.

Ham and potatoes. It's important to keep them moist.

Jennifer made it to the table sans her fingerprints. The night before she was scrubbing potatoes and peeling, coring and cutting apples for the Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Apples, a perfect side dish to the meal.

Personalities were large, giving way to festive conversation. With a group like this, one must keep a marker and dry erase board on hand for recording quotes.

There should be a lesson learned from every meal and this time I was taught, for even the biggest control freak, planning a cookbook club meeting doesn’t have much pressure and a terrific time is guaranteed.

Did you just double dip that fondue fork?

Nothing can ruin a dining experience more than eating with someone who doesn’t have good table manners. Elbows on the table, not waiting for others to be served, not placing a napkin in your lap or putting it in your chair if you get up during the meal, are all norms we have become accustomed to. Hell, if you’re uncertain how to eat at a proper table setting, all you need to do is watch Titanic. Even Leo learned you just start on the outside and work your way in.

Meat, chicken and shrimp waiting to get dunked

Well, I have a confession. My manners were recently challenged during an evening of fondue at The Melting Pot and I believe I committed more than one major fondue faux paus. Read on, and learn how to not make the same mistakes.

Fondue is a Swiss communal dish at a table in an earthenware pot over a small burner. Using long-stemmed forks, with different colored ends, eaters dip bits of bread, fruit, vegetables, meat and seafood into the molten sauce or cheese mix.

It's cold outside so that means it's time for a full-bodied glass of Mirassou, Pinor Noir

Originally popular in the U.S. in the 1960s and 70s, it’s making its way back into the mainstream. But before you start sticking your fork in a community pot of deliciousness, be sure you know the rules.

• Do not let your tongue or lips touch the dipping fork. When participating, use a dinner fork to remove the food and put on your plate.
  

• Don’t double dip. It goes without saying, don’t take a bite and put it back in the pot. If you do this, someone should go George Costanza on your ass.

• Don’t dip with your fingers, unless you want to get burned. The cheese and broth are both boiling hot, so this would not only be rude but also idiotic.

• If you loose your food in the pot, don’t fret. Your server or host/hostess should give you a search and rescue ladle. However, there are repercussions if this happens (see below).

• When cooking your meat or seafood fondue, don’t steal a dining partners stick. Even the most gregarious hungry girl needs to learn patience and wait her turn.

Fondue, a great way to bond with friends

In true Swiss tradition, if a nugget of bread is lost in the cheese by a man he buys a bottle of wine and if such a thing happens to befall a woman she kisses the man at her left.

I think someone owes me a bottle of wine.