A Few of Our Favorite Things

By Florence Wang

Our guide to books, music, places to eat, events and gatherings, new products, websites, etc.

ODE TO THE BIG APPLE

New York Dreaming: Poems of the City, the Suburbs and Daily Life by Leslie-Anne Brill

In the book New York Dreaming, Leslie-Ann Brill shares more than mere poems. These are her personal journeys and love-letters to New York. She captures a mixture of moods as she moves through a variety of settings.  You will find playful odes to landmarks like Yankee Stadium and Grand Central Terminal along with strolls through neighborhoods and reflections on people and events. The wife of “Wild Man” Steve Brill, Leslie-Ann clearly shares his attention to the details of her surroundings. As she takes them in, she processes her thought into beautiful words.  Purchase her book and read more poetry on her site, lesliebrillpoetry.com.  You can also purchase a copy during one of “Wild Man” Steve Brill’s weekly foraging tours www.wildmanstevebrill.com.

A POSITIVE START TO THE WEEK

Monday Night Alive with Ariel & Shya Kane Mondays 8pm The New Yorker Hotel: 481 Eighth Avenue, Manhattan

This Monday try something new.  Ariel & Shya Kane share their insights into living a satisfying, successful, and stress-free life.   Walking in for the first time, you are greeted by a group of people who are welcoming and eager meet you.  The 90-minute event is filled with laughter and life lessons as you get to know more about the people around you, and by extension, yourself. The environment encourages you to shed your inhibitions and insecurities and be honest and open.  By the end of the night, you will learn something and feel better about life in general.  You may also make a few new friends.  To learn more about Ariel & Shya Kane, visit their website, www.transformationmadeeasy.com

LIVE, LAUGH AND EAT WELL

Blood, Bones and Butter:  The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamiton [Random House]

Cooking has played a pervasive role in Gabrielle Hamilton’s life.  Some of her earliest, fondest memories are associated with the kitchen.  Her book Blood, Bones and Butter tells the story of her life and relationship with food.  Hilarious and honest, Gabrielle pulls no punches.  She is exceptionally candid about her experiences and opinions. From her teen years flipping hash, to her time as a waitress in Manhattan and the ups and downs of a trek across Europe, Gabrielle’s sense of humor keeps her afloat while food acts as a constant in her life.  Eventually her accumulated experience leads to her opening of Prune in the West Village.  Once again, her sense of humor allows her to navigate adult life as a business owner and mother.  Gabrielle’s approach to life and food is incredibly unpretentious. Her focus is that food is something you will eventually eat. And the book clearly expresses that life is something you are going to live.

AWAKEN YOUR INNER BUNNY

Bunnoidity: How To Be a Bunny – The Rabbit Habit by Carolyn “Bunny” Campora

Carolyn “Bunny” Campora helps you channel your inner bunny.  Sweet and gentle, assuming some bunny qualities may just help increase your own happiness and create a gentler world.  Her book, Bunnoidity expresses this philosophy in simple terms and with colorful illustrations.   It’s a sweet little book, wise but lighthearted, a great little pick-me-up.   Carolyn “Bunny” Compara is the Master at Nabi Su Martial Arts , teaching Tai Chi,  Kung Fu  and Reiki classes.   Her positive attitude and sure-footedness have allowed her to develop a wonderful way of looking at the world.  You can learn more about Bunnoidity, the art of being a bunny, on her website www.BunnyPrintBooks.com

ZEN & THE ART OF THE COCKTAIL

K2 Lounge at the Rubin Museum Fridays 6pm – closing  Rubin Museum, 150 West 17th Street NYC (212) 620-5000

It’s the perfect end to the week: a low-key cocktail lounge that opens to the galleries of the Rubin Museum.  After 6pm, the Rubin Museum opens its galleries for free.  Before you take in the beautiful Himalayan art, be sure to stop by the K2 lounge.  The Rubin Museum’s café is transformed into a place to relax and enjoy an after-work libation.  A special menu features fragrant cocktails and Asian-inspired tapas; the lighting is low and moody as a DJ spins ambient techno with an Eastern edge.  It’s a fantastic alternative to the traditional happy hour.  A stroll through the museum helps to wash away the stress of the workweek as you encounter Buddhas and Asian art. To learn more, visit the Rubin Museum’s website
www.rmanyc.org.

THE NEWEST UNDERGROUND

Growing Roots: The New Generation of Sustainable Farmers, Cooks, and Food Activists by Katherine Leiner with photos by Andrew Lipton [Chelsea Green Publishing]

Growing Roots is all about passion – people in the U.S. who have a passion for sustainable foods and Katherine Leiner, who has a passion for finding them. In her book, she travels across the country interviewing individuals who choose to have a true connection with what they eat. Along the way she meets representatives all along the modern food chain – farmers, millers, restaurateurs, educators, entrepreneurs, nutritionists, and beekeepers, just to name a few. No stone is left unturned. They all share a common thread: sustainability. Whether living in a yurt, on a farm, or in a city, they all find ways to make a connection with the foods they eat, grow and sell. Their origins are diverse and so are the ways they choose to lessen their impact on society.  They share information about what they do, and they also share their own recipes. You may not identify with all of them, but knowing about this growing community may just inspire you to think about the way you live and where your food comes from.

FITNESS FOR YOUR BODY AND MIND

intenSati with Patricia Moreno

intenSati was founded by Patricia Moreno, life coach and yoga and fitness instructor. intenSati focuses on the mind and body as a whole.  During the workout, the instructor moves the class through a number of cardio, strength training and flexibility poses.  Each move or position is accompanied by a mantra, such as “I am strong” or “today is the best day ever!”  The concept behind this exercise is that the brain can only focus on one thought at a time.  So rather than let it wander toward negativity, why not think something positive?  The results are pretty incredible.  The workout flies by at an amazing pace as the focus remains entirely on the moment – rather than what’s coming next, whether the person in front of you has thinner thighs, or the worries of the day.  The routine leaves you feeling strong and energetic – physically and emotionally.  It frees the mind so that creative blocks are lifted and the mind remains focused.  You can join Patricia June 17-19 at Omega Institute and in October on the Maya Tulum Sati Life Retreat in Tulum, Mexico.
To find a class and learn more, visit Patricia’s website www.satilife.com

BABY STEPS TOWARD CONSCIOUS LIVING

Awake In the World: 108 Practices to Live a Distinctly Inspired Life by Debra Moffit [Llewelyn]

At first glance, 108 things may seem like quite a lot.  It’s a bit more than a 10 step program to turn your life around.  But I like to think that life is a bit more complex than 10 points can address. What Debra Moffit offers in her book, Awake in the World, is more of a different approach to life in general.  Almost all of her suggestions provide means to be more awake and live in the now.  The practices aren’t difficult; in fact you’re probably already doing most of them already.  She merely asks you to take time and be more mindful of these practices. 108 is a sacred number, matching the number of prayer beads strung together.  The book is intended to be a touchstone to those remembrances and moments of focus.  It’s full of good advice and by the end you will feel more conscious and aware just for reading it.