I woke up this morning to time frozen still.  A thick layer of ice caressed the trees and blanketed the grass, and even though the sun had risen the world still seemed to sleep. Winter was here.  On its eve, solstice had ushered in its wintry beauty and a deep sense of calm over the city.  This is what I love most about the holidays. That comforting sense of hibernation, …

I’ve been eager to share this recipe since my Ayurvedic cleanse after the fall equinox. It’s become one of my favorite morning rituals to warm my body up in this colder weather and sustain my energy until lunch.  This elixir is my spin on the classic “Golden Milk”, a tea recommended by Yogi Bhajan for promoting vitality …

Last month I had the opportunity to work with the uber-talented team at  Choate House to film and capture the Vidya manifesto, the experience behind what I do and hope to inspire in my work. And I absolutely cannot wait to share the end product with everyone!

The shoot itself turned out to be complete and utter magic, a gathering of some of my favorite friends and inspiring …

Día de los Muertos. I’ve always preferred this celebration over modern halloween because it’s all about honoring our ancestors and the sacred cycles of life and death. It reminds us to love this one life we have because everything is impermanent. Oh and there’s also that magical element that celebrates good food, drink and general feasting with family and friends. I can get down with that.

To celebrate, each year I start my day with this …

This post kicks off a new monthly series where I’ll be talking about little rituals of self-care and natural beauty recipes for that radiant glow inside and out.  But before we dive into the external, let’s talk about real beauty for a minute.

If there’s one thing a personal yoga practice has taught me is that you must, absolutely must, take the time to nurture yourself each and …

Twice a year, every spring and fall, I take a week or two to cleanse my body and prepare for a new season.  This spring, I did a 10-day raw juice and broth fast paired with some deep healing herbs.  When the weather is warm after the equinox, I like to do my longer juice fasts as a way of releasing stagnant energy, reconnecting with myself from …

Get ready for a slew of summer dessert posts! Right now, I’m inspired by all the fresh berries and gorgeous produce that’s in season now. This post in particular was inspired by my summers growing up in Southeast Alaska, where rhubarb grew like weeds in our backyard.  Not much really grows in the leached out soils of Ketchikan, where the annual rainfall can be as much as 200 …

To activate nuts means to soak and dehydrate them, releasing the enzyme inhibitors and naturally occurring chemicals that protect the nut from animals, bacteria, viruses and weather.  This compound, called phytic acid, is the principle storage form of phosphorous in plant tissues, especially found in bran, nuts and seeds.  Phytate, as it’s called in salt form, is not digestible to humans or non-ruminate animals because we lack the enzyme phytase …