Shop - Opal Moon Henna

When I saw people walking around the first annual South Bay Yoga conference with the most beautiful designs on their skin, I had to get one for myself. I visited the Opal Moon Henna booth and they were the most friendly and talented henna team I have met! The booth was packed all day.

Tamara is the perfect henna artist for yoga retreats or festivals. When you choose a design from their collection, you get to take the photo with you so that you can meditate on it while you wait for your turn in the artist's chair. Once the art is finished and has dried, Tamara will even spend extra time to cover it with medical tape if you want to get more life out of your henna.

virus racerback tank, artists choice henna design

Opal Moon Henna uses only natural red-brown henna that is safe for skin even for kids. They hand mix the paste using just lemon juice, sugar and essential oils. They suggest avoiding black henna, a chemical dye that can cause blistering and scarring.

Henna or glitter body art could be the hit of your next birthday, baby shower or event!

My favorite design was the henna on my left foot. It is beautiful and lasts for a few weeks, one of the longest life I actually wish it was permanent.

sam edelman 'ginnie' sandals as seen on julia roberts in eat pray love, urban outfitters skirt

Bachelorette Party - Mula Bandha and Mimosas

A pre-wedding wedding celebration kicked off Labor Day weekend with some yoga on the beach. I taught a class specifically for bachelorettes that I call "Mula Bandha and Mimosas."

beautiful bride to be

setu bhanda sarvangasana - bridge pose

When you are preparing to walk down the wedding aisle, heart opening poses are key. In bridge pose, you push down through the feet and the hands and lift through the hips using the shoulders for support. The more you wiggle your shoulders underneath you, the more you are able to stretch through the neck and lift up through the chest which opens the heart chakra.

demo on engaging mula bandha

Mula Bandha is one of three energy locks in the body known in yoga as the root lock. It incorporates the kaegle muscle and the lifting of the pelvic floor. It is key in finding buoyancy within all poses as well as arm balances such as crow pose and inversions such as handstand. I focused on engaging it in this particular practice because it can also be a great way to prepare for the wedding night...

engage mula bandha to reach up for anjaneyasana - crescent pose

ashtanga namaskara - crocodile pose

Building heat on an already hot day with classical sun salutations. In crocodile pose we keep the hips lifted as we lower our knees, chin and chest to the mat.

bhekasana - frog pose

Frog pose is a deep hip opener fabulous for helping to let go of anything in your life that you might not want to bring into your marriage. This pose was the maid of honors favorite moment of the yoga practice because the surfers decided to walk by as soon as we settled in.

savasana - corpse pose 

Visualize the wedding day. You are about to walk down the aisle. Take a deep breath and lead with your heart before you take the first step. Picture all of your friends and family and enjoy the perfection of every moment. Feel the love surrounding you, the bride and the groom. We are gathered together because of love, the most powerful energy of all. When you wake up from savasana or corpse pose, it symbolizes the death of the old and is like a new beginning.

The Bachelorettes

Get ready to jump in with both feet!

Yoga - Mala Meanings

amethyst mala, shop eat yoga logo inspiration, first seen here 

Yoga is not just a good workout. There is meaning behind every asana, visualization and meditation. The same goes for the custom intention jewelry by Chelsea Welch. Each of her mala bead necklaces come with a card describing their unique "Mala Energies." Every stone is different. 

Here is what my mala energies card says about amethyst:

Extremely powerful & protective stone. Enhances higher states of consciousness and meditation. Has strong healing and cleansing powers. Very calming. Helps one feel less scattered and more focused and in control of your life. Facilitates decision making, bringing common sense and spiritual insights. Enhances memory and improves motivation. Balances out the highs and lows. One of the most spirtual stones. Promotes love of the Divine, encouraging selflessness and spiritual wisdom.

amethyst geode mala, yoga instructor Kelly Grimes' family heirloom, first seen here

Now when Chelsea first began to fill me in on everything she knows about stones and crystals, their meaning and her personal experience associated with them, I was a bit skeptical. A first reaction can sometimes be like, "What is this hippy dippy nonsense!?!!"

The more I learned though, the more intrigued I became. Yogis are super in tune with the earth around them, yoga practices follow the moons and the sun and so it only makes sense to take the healing power and energies of crystals into account. Crystals come from the earth and each one has unique properties. Ancient civilizations have been using crystals for thousands of years. Why not just give them a chance and see what wearing a crystal can bring into your life?

Shop - Mala Bead Necklaces by Chelsea Welch

Chelsea Welch uses unique semi-precious stones for her hand made mala bead necklaces. Her pieces are the most beautiful and most complimented that I wear. Not only do they complete any outfit from lululemon to Anthropologie, they have a different meaning behind each piece. You choose your perfect mala bead necklace according to what you want to create or enhance in your life. If you already have a stone, a certain look for a necklace or an intention in mind, she can customize a necklace for you. Chelsea's knowledge behind the meaning of stones and crystals as well as her artistic eye are what make these mala beads more special than most.

from left: carnelian, red coral, amethyst, vintage amethyst geode heirloom, abalone

Yoga - FabFitFun Guest Blog

Today marks the start of the first annual South Bay Yoga Conference which kicks off this weekend. I am a conference volunteer and offered to write a guest piece for Giuliana Rancic's lifestyle blog FabFitFun.

In this last month of summer we want to make the most of the warm weather and long days. Yoga is one of the best ways to accomplish this! Yoga poses keep you in shape physically while yoga meditation encourages you mentally to stay in the moment and enjoy it to the fullest.

A yoga pose can be combined with yoga meditation to maximize the workout experience. For example, downward facing dog strengthens the hamstrings, gluteal and back muscles and the central nervous system. Holding yourself in this or any yoga pose allows your mind to focus only on the pose and how it feels to execute it within the body. You end up feeling and looking great while simultaneously learning how to maximize your enjoyment of every last minute of summer fun in the sun and barbecues with friends.

For more yoga information and complete yoga workouts make your way toward the sand, the waves and the city of Redondo Beach in the Los Angeles area on August 10-12. Stop by the South Bay Yoga Conference to get your yoga on or just peruse the latest in health food and fitness gear. 

There is something for everyone at the South Bay Yoga conference. Attend the unique variety of yoga classes such as "Yoga at the Movies" or "Yoga for Surfers." Check out the shopping and latest in healthy living by spending some time in the free marketplace. Learn about yoga accessories with Manduka, trying on semi-precious stone jewelry by Energy Muse or tasting freshly pressed juice from BeJuice Clean just to name a few. See you there!

Eat - Yellow Watermelon

Have you ever seen a yellow watermelon before!?!! I haven't! I didn't even know they existed, but as soon as I saw one I just had to try it. I love watermelon, it is one of my favorite fruits to eat or drink especially in the summer. Trader Joe's is still having supplier issues for their watermelon juice and I'm bummed about it! My mom's number one craving when she was pregnant with me was watermelon. When I told the manager at Trader Joe's in Redondo Beach this fun fact, he promised that he would relay it to corporate and get to the bottom of the supplier issues as soon as possible. In the meantime, yellow watermelon will suffice.

Yellow watermelon reminds me of honey. It is sweeter than its red fleshed cousin and a good source of  beta carotene. Red watermelon is high in lycopene which is usually forgotten because is not categorized into the night shade family like tomatoes, the most famous of the lycopene fruits. Those of you who are picky about the texture of tomatoes or don't like carrots, go for the watermelon instead!

Shop - Chilli Beans

h&m dress, vintage vest, free people bag, sunglasses by chilli beans, necklace by emma turnage

I went to the Chilli Beans store at the Century City mall and it immediately became my new favorite shop. They have unique designer sunglasses at three different price points ranging from about $30 - $60.  New styles arrive every week and when I saw this one the owners told me that it was the best buy in the store, the best design within the 'green' or $30 price range. Chilli Beans is a Brazilian company and these glasses would run upwards of $400 in Rio. Someday they might get there here in the U.S. so snag a pair for yourself while they still fit your budget!

The lens color is customizable.

Some of these glasses are designed with a 'top hat' on them and were seen in the designer's runway show this season.