seattle in the nude

Where do I even begin...first of all, if you haven't been to Seattle, you must go.  I loved it.  Every second of it.  If it weren't for this tour, I am not sure if I would have ever visited Seattle.  I am so glad I got to do and see what I did last week.  This part of our country is amazing.   GO THERE.  Take a plane, train, car or even a bus... you have to see it.  And, its not as rainy as they say it is.  In fact, I am convinced that is just what they tell everyone to keep the whole country from moving there.  It only rained one afternoon, while I was there.  The secret is out!

My first full day in Seattle, I ventured off bright and early to attend a local Anusara class.  Its my favorite way to start off in a new city.  It gives me a destination point to start from.  I meet new people in class, experience their yoga community (aka: kula), and walk away with some pretty great recommendations on where to go and what to see.  Like-minded people give good recco's.  Class was fantastic, as usual.  The teacher, Rainey, was very clear and concise.  She kept coming back to the idea that we all have the capability to have a 6th sense, the sense of wonder.  Its more about if we want to tap into this sense or not.    I will talk more about this idea in class, some day.  I want to share this perspective with students back home.  Its very cool to relate this to our practice on the mat and how that effects every day life.  Rainey had an eloquent approach to weaving this into a challenging and fun practice.  I learned a lot from her. 

As I crossed one of the many bridges in Seattle on my way back from class, I spotted the infamous Space Needle!  The view that morning was breath-taking... the water, the marinas lining the shore, the city skyline... It was pretty overwhelming, even.  I wanted to pull over and take a closer look, but it was almost impossible from where I was in traffic.  Instead, I rolled down all the windows, opened the sun roof and drove all the way back blaring the Grey's Anatomy soundtrack and singing at the top of my lungs.  Oh yeah, there was car dancing going on, too.  I was enjoying the yoga euphoria on a gorgeous Seattle morning :)

Later that day, a co-worker and I hit up the Space Needle to soak up more of that incredible view I saw earlier, then explored around the Pike Place Market.  Both were a lot of fun.  From the top of the Space Needle, you get an awesome view of the city with Mount Rainier hovering in the background.  Pretty amazing.  That mountain looks like it is floating, from the city view.  The market was total entertainment.   There is a seafood section where they toss fish from person to person, hooting and hollering just like in the movies.  It was cool to see that.  I couldn't tell if they were serious or in character, half the time!  After bumming around the city, we met up with my co-worker's friends for some drinks and fresh oysters.  At dinner, I tried the Copper River salmon, which is "in season" right now.  Apparently, this type of salmon swims through the coldest part of the river, giving it a distinct color, flavor and texture.  Tasted pretty darn good to me!

On day two, I ventured off to Crescent Bar on the Columbia River to spend a few days with some family friends.  It was so nice to get out of the city and borrow some quality family time.  Crescent Bar is similar in nature to what we do at the lake, relaxing by the water and tooling around by boat.  People usually go there for short weekend get-aways, during the summer months.  We had such a good time.  We stayed up late, walked down to the coffee shop in the morning, played with the little ones, laid by the pool... It was good to kick back and relax in a family-oriented atmosphere.  I am lucky they let me crash their party :)  When we got back to Seattle, we went on a short hike to check out Snoqualmie Falls.  This waterfall was just minutes away and has a larger drop than Niagara Falls!  I am so grateful that I got to experience Washington with them.  It made my week.  Thanks again, Mary Ellen!

Let's see, what else...I am forgetting something... OH YEAH, THE NAKED PARADE!  Our event last week was at the Fremont Festival, Saturday and Sunday.  Fremont is a very cool, hip & trendy, fun area in Seattle, where lots of young people hang out.  There are lots of coffee shops, bars, restaurants, and marinas nearby.  The streets are very alive and active in this area.  Every year, they have a festival to kick off summer.  The festivities start with a Saturday morning parade, the naked parade.  So really, they call it the "Summer Solstice Fremont Parade" or something like that...but really, it's the naked parade.  Naked people everywhere.  Just riding around with their naked bodies painted, riding bicycles and following the floats like its an everyday thing.  The funny thing is, no one even seemed to notice or care.  In fact, at one point I realized I was the only one looking around like, "hey, are you guys seeing what I am seeing?!"  Everyone else was just watching the floats go by as if there weren't naked people on bikes in between each float.  I am not sure what the point is, or how this tradition started, but I know it was pretty funny to watch.  After the parade, people just put their clothes on and walked around like nothing ever happened.  The rest of the festival was just like any other.  The people of Seattle were just as great as their city depicts.  Friendly, diverse, creative, inquisitive.  I liked working with this crowd.  There is a distinct culture to this city. Almost like it has its own beat.  I like Seattle's rhythm, that's for sure.  

Another cool part about the festival was a drop by visit from an old friend from teacher training, Amy.  Her family recently moved to Seattle last Winter and she came by to say hello Saturday morning.  It was so good to see her and catch up for a few minutes.  It was pretty brief, since I was working, but we did get to do a few minutes of yoga together.  So good to see her!

As you have probably noticed, my time in Seattle was very much appreciated and enjoyed.  Like I said earlier, its one of those cities you have to experience to get the whole picture.  The photos don't do it justice - not even close.  There is a certain originality behind the abundance of nature and city mixed together in Seattle.  The huge green trees, the water, the fresh seafood, the long summer days, the naked people everywhere (hehe), the great yoga community, everything... it was a wonderful week in Seattle.

GO THERE! 

The Space Needle

Downtown Seattle (Mt. Ranier top right)

Pike Place Market

Copper River Salmon - in season this time of year

First Starbucks EVER

Fresh market flowers 

Yoga with a view!

Mary Ellen and me at Crescent Bar

Snoqualmie Falls

gone country!

Just so you know...I am playing country music, while writing this blog.  I am in Seattle now, which is a very different than Idaho, so the music puts me back in an Idaho-state-of-mind to write about my experience in true form :)

Last week, we spent the week in Emmett, Idaho.  Considering the first month on tour we were mostly in California, then Colorado, then Portland... Idaho was quite the change of scenery!  As we drove in, I noticed there was a lot more open space and room to breathe, then what we had experienced in the past few cities.  Not better or worse, just very different.  When you enter "the country" something happens... you experience some sort of familiarity, even if you've never been there.  There is a certain sense of simplicity about the scenery and a freshness to the air.  Everywhere you look, the fields are full of horses, cows, lakes, and crops. The homes are sweet, not too big or small.  Mother Nature is growing everywhere around you.

When we got to our hotel, there wasn't much activity around us.  The event we were working was about 15-20 miles from where we were staying.  This event was called the Emmett Cherry Festival.   It is the event of the year in Emmett!  Our first day working, we met all sorts of people.  Everyone was friendly and excited to learn about Kashi and how to live a healthier lifestyle.  Most people we encountered weren't familiar with yoga and didn't know much about our products...so, we taught them.  Lots of young kids were interested in yoga and lots of parents were interested in learning how to cook with fresh, healthier, foods.  At first we were unsure why we were placed at this event in this part of Idaho. As time went on, we were all grateful to be in Emmett.  Such a sweetness to this small town.  It was nice to be around so many warm people, eager to learn.  In fact, it's experiences like this that remind me why I took this job - to spread the joy of yoga and experience this country we live in, from coast to coast.  Bouncing around from city to city is nice, but being out in the country is nice, too!  

In addition to our local staff hired to work this event, we made lots of great friends with other folks working the event.  A very nice man set up to our left was kind enough to let us take a shot at riding his mechanical bull.  I couldn't stop cracking up, it was a blast.  Even getting thrown off was fun, for some reason.  I sure thought I was a real cow girl, after that!  Then, there was the family in front of us with a portable rock climbing wall and a trampoline slingshot ride.  I had a blast doing flip after flip in mid-air on the tramp.  As you can see, I had my fair share of fun at the Cherry Festival! Sometimes, I can't tell if this job of mine is more work or play... maybe somewhere in between.

Combining the beautiful simplicity of the country, the friendly people of Emmett, and the crazy fun activities in between, my time in Idaho was very much appreciated.  In fact, leaving town was somewhat bittersweet.  Maybe there is a little more country girl inside Brigette Niedringhaus then i realized :)

sleeper town

Driving into Portland, we noticed a large crowd surrounding 3 very large ships full of sailors waving a shore..."Fleet Week" in Portland had begun.  Naval vessels from the United States Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian Maritime Forces were in Portland for a four-day visit.  I've never seen anything like it.  It was cool to see so many people supporting those who serve and protect our freedom. I know that everyone has their own viewpoint on this topic (as do I), but seeing these men in honor reminded me how lucky we are to live in this country.  We have people looking out for us, protecting our lives, making sure every day is flawless and we don't experience serious danger on a daily basis.  To say the least, it was cool to see people come together to show respect and support for our military, rather than pointing out the differences within our country.

The past two cities we visited (Boulder and San Francisco), I was active non-stop.  There was so much to do and see, I had completely exhausted myself.  Once we got to Portland, I had no choice but to slow down.  As much as I wanted to bounce from place to place to see everything in the few free days we had before the event, I just didn't have any energy.  So, I decided I needed to a few days to veg-out.  My first few days there, I got up super early to attend yoga class with Sarahjoy Marsh (yet another great Anusara teacher), then back to my hotel to take a long nap.  It was cold and rainy the whole time we were there, so it was perfect nap weather, anyway.  I couldn't believe how tired I was...I guess I needed the rest.  My mornings were spent juicing up my yoga practice, but I always crashed hard with an afternoon nap.  Sounds lame, I know...but, I had to listen to my body and rest a bit.  I did meet up with my good friend from college for diner one night, which was great. So good to see him and meet his wonderful girlfriend.  Other than my one night out with friends, my Portland experience consisted of lots of great yoga classes, sleeping and working the event.

I have to write a few words about Sarahjoy Marsh...I learned a ton from her, while in Portland.  She is a very good teacher.  Her verbal cues make things seem so simple. I really liked her classes.  They weren't as fast-paced or physically challenging as some of the others I have recently experienced, but what I quickly realized was that I need to slow down on my mat, as well.  Funny how situations on your yoga mat can be so parallel to daily life experiences.  I needed to refocus on my alignment and think about what I was doing in each pose, with each breath.  It was good for me that week.  Exactly what I needed.  Also, Sarahjoy's classes start out a little more serious than I am used to, but it was good.  By the middle of class, the usual Anusara camaraderie definitely made its way into each class.  

The thing about Sarahjoy that was most impressive is her desire for each student to fully understand what she is teaching.  I know that sounds simple, but it's true.  We have all been to those classes where the teacher is just going through the motions and teaching pose after pose.  Sarahjoy makes a point to check in with each and every student, on an individual basis.  The coolest part is that she does it so flawlessly.  Its just a part of her class.  Very interactive.  Very informative.  Very passionate.  

Also, once she found out I teach yoga for Kashi, she made several references to me about verbal cues she finds helpful when teaching beginners, throughout class.  I stashed a few of her tricks away for later use with my students both on the road and back home :) Can't wait to bring some of those tricks out at STY!  I would definitely like to work with Sarahjoy again, some day.  I think I say that a lot about many of these great teachers I get to work with, on the road.  What a blessing this tour has been, thus far.  Its like I am on my very own yoga tour - student by weekday, teacher by weekend.  That has a nice ring to it!

Our event that week was the Portland Rose Festival.   Quite the spread the city of Portland puts on for this event!  There were lots of cool exhibits and rides, all sorts of fun stuff to do.  We were set up right next to the Marine booth, where they were recruiting and hosting a "Marine Challenge."  Of course, being the tough girl that I think I am, I had to check it out.  For men, the challenge was 20 pull ups.  For women, the challenge was holding a chin up for 70 seconds or more.  First, I went by myself... I held it for 70 seconds and passed the challenge.  Then, Dia and I decided to give it a shot together, a double challenge.  Neither of us made it to the 70 seconds this time...laughing and talking to each other while trying to hold the chin up makes it a little harder! Enough excuses though, right?!  Really, it was just plain hard!  Way harder than it looks.  Regardless, it was fun... and we tried it every day of the event!  We made friends with the marines and had a good time pretending we are as strong as they are. Check out the photos below... as you can see, the first pic was at the beginning of the challenge and the second is when we were about to give in.  fun times.  In fact, I think we should put a pull up bar at the yoga studio, back home :)

The rest of the weekend was good.  Lots of teaching yoga, for many many hours in a row.  I was sore by the end of the weekend, that's for sure.  With teaching beginners, you have to show them almost every pose.  I end up doing  A LOT of yoga after a 3 day event!  The event was pretty gloomy (rainy and cold) the first two days, but Sunday was gorgeous!  On Sunday, we could even see the mountains back behind the river.  Cool scenery in Portland.  I would like to go back there when I am not so sleepy :) 

city chicks

After the long haul from Boulder, we finally arrived in San Francisco on a Wed. afternoon.  I was especially excited to get there, because my mom met me in San Francisco!  It was so good to see her.  We are only about 2 months into the tour, but it felt like forever since I have seen my family.  You have to understand, when I am in St. Louis, I see my family several times a week (at least).  Living 30-45 minutes away never seems to keep us from hanging out all the time.  Now that I am on tour, we are a plane ride away!  

My family means the world to me and I am super close to each of them, so seeing my mom made me feel at home...even though I am miles and miles away.  My mom carries so much warmth and love with her everywhere she goes.  To have her come visit made me feel close to my whole family again. She is one amazing woman.  Not sure how I got so lucky to have my mom, dad, Tim and Ellen in my life....it's pretty amazing that there are 4 people on this planet as wonderful as each one of them.  They are 4 of a kind, that's for sure!

Since my mom and I had both been to San Francisco before, we decided to keep a pretty open schedule and just bum around.  We laughed, talked, shopped, got lost walking the streets, ate, drank fancy drinks and shopped some more - true Dawn and Brigette fashion.  It was a blast.  On Thursday, we got pedicures and in the morning, then got all dolled up for dinner and a movie.  We went to at 12:01 am show to see the Sex And The City movie premier. We were so girly that day - it was great.  We had a blast! 

Friday, we had our usual breakfast at the infamous Sears Diner (across from our hotel), then hung out at Fisherman's Warf for a bit.  We picked up some sourdough bread to munch on, then some saltwater taffy, then stopped for some real food on Hyde Street just before dinner time.  After 3 attempts to ride a cable car (jam-packed with camera-holding tourists), we finally made the cut.  We were so exhausted from our midnight movie the night before, so we turned in early Friday night.

The event that week was the Union Street Festival on Saturday and Sunday.  Although the weather was a little chilly, we had a great event.  Lots of people we very eager to jump on a yoga mat and give it a shot.  I usually have volunteers help out from a local yoga studio, but since my mom was in town, I didn't schedule anyone.  It was a lot of fun to co-teach throughout the day.  Having my mom there reminded me how different it is to teach true beginners all the time.  Most people I encounter on this tour are very beginner level.  Maybe even pre-beginner, if there were such a thing.  Whatever comes out of the teacher's mouth, they do.  Whatever actions the teacher takes, they follow.  I guess I am used to that, now, but it was funny to realize that after she pointed it out.  It's like a game of simon says, sometimes.  I am learning a lot about my teaching style and words I use, teaching fresh beginners.  They hang onto your every word.  Teaching yoga to the "average joe" can be a pretty powerful thing.  It's cool to see the transformation happening right before your very eyes :)

Sunday morning, my mom left town.  It was so good to spend time with her and felt so "normal" to have her around, that I didn't even really think about the fact that she was leaving.  My last day in San Francisco was a little odd... I got a lot of work done and went to a great yoga class, but I was certainly wishing my partner in crime was still around.   Thanks for the visit, Mom.  You are the best.

Next stop, Portland!  I am looking forward to exploring the city, seeing another old college buddy and working with another great Anusara instructor, there.  Onto the next adventure!

p.s. I added some new locations/dates for the second leg of the tour - just got an update last week!  Take a look at the schedule to the left...