ahh, the joys of nyc! i actually felt a bit let down this morning–you know those post-vacation blues? i was only in ny for 12 hours but that city beckons me more and more each time i visit. my day began with a 5:25 am alarm and a 6:30 train. off to ny for a photo shoot highlighting an article i wrote for fit yoga coming out in the october issue. such fun – holding poses for minutes while working to appear zen-like. my studio director joined me for some “market research” as we scouted five fabulous studios, took classes at jivamukti’s new digs, ate some great vegan food (i got a soy dog!), and dashed in and out of various stores (realizing that we had a tendency to patronize the same stores we had in dc–creatures of habit).

as i walked to the studio this morning in my ny haze, i felt grateful for the ease in which we can get from point A to point B in dc. sooo much easier than ny. however, ny has soooo much excitement. the tall buildings, the amazing style, the hoards of people and yellow cabs, the yoga studios on every corner (ok, many corners), the great theatre! for a girl from oklahoma, i’ve always dreamed about the adventures of new york and i get so stimulated each time i visit.

frank sinatra’s song “new york, new york” continues to make me smile as i am still feeling the buzz of such an electrifying city. to top it all off, russell simmons (not RICHARD simmons) practiced in front of me the whole time. talk about distracting. while others around me were “ommming,” i whispered to gina, “do you know who that is?” we both grinned and returned to the moment. it’s funny how exciting the little things in a big city can be to small town girls!

as you can see, i felt nostalgic about ny today. it’s amazing how getting out of your element, even for 12 hours, can provide such revitalization. couple that with a city as exciting as ny, and you’re sure to have things shaken up–in a good way. don’t we all need a little shake up now and then?

how do you shake things up? hop on a train to ny? read a racy novel? try a different yoga style? plant a new herb? invite someone out to tea? let’s try to add some spice and watch the effects unfold immediately . . . in a new york minute.