Travel

Chris and I will be heading back into San Diego, CA for CRSSD Music Festival this year! We were in San Diego in January on a family trip (if you follow me on Instagram, you would have seen these posts linked below), and although we will only be in SD for the day, I'm pumped to be back!CRSSD2015_1010_182112-5323_GSTPhoto by Gabe Tiano San Diego is absolutely beautiful! The weather, the views, the community, oh and ALL THEM VEGAN OPTIONS (that's the most important part, right?).CRSSD2015_1010_130137-5213_SAG (1) Photo by Skyler Greene

CRSSD is a Spring/Fall, 21+ festival taking place at Waterfront Park, on the Bay of San Diego. AND of course

GTMSuperLaunch.LA.BOS.DCBlacklight Yoga, Live DJ + Kombucha Cocktails!? Basically the ultimate yoga experience, YES PLEASE. This weekend I was lucky enough to be a part of the Grip The Mat's bi-coastal launch event experience and I wanted to share it here with all of you because it was so unique and uplifting, and available not only in Los Angeles, but also in Washington D.C. and Boston! If any of you have ever been to a GTM event, commment below and let me know how it was for you ;)

DIM THE LIGHTS, TURN UP THE SENSES.

In October if this year, Chris and I decided to drop all of our excuses, and commit to integrating a yoga practice into our daily lives. We decided to go for an unlimited pass at our local yoga studio, to motivate ourselves to consistently attend, in hopes that we would not only allow for an invigorating workout, but also a chance for us to step away from our daily lives and bring calm and stillness to our minds. Yoga to me used to just be yet another workout class I would attend to get my heart rate up and break a sweat, when I did not feel up to the intense weight lifting courses I would take at the gym. Nowadays, however, as cliche that it may sound to some, yoga to me has been at outlet of relaxation, realization of inner joy, a personal connection with my mind, body, and spirit, and a new outlet and level of connection with my boyfriend Chris. Although I have been attending yoga courses for a few years now, I have not, until now, ever followed a consistent schedule, or integrated it into my daily life as I have done so now. For the first time in my life, I was able to actually silence my mind from all thoughts outside of the studio, a focus on the present moment, the inner strength I hold in my body and mind, and all all-peaceful state of meditation.

Chris / Conscious Chris came into town last month for 10 days, so of course we had to make our way through LA and hit up as many restaurants + activities possible. With a seemingly never-ending plethora of vegan food in Los Angeles, these 10 days did not make a dent in what is available to try, but we definitely hit up quite a few spots. Luckily, Chris will be moving to LA mid-October, so we have time to get to what we missed. I'm sharing with you all a bit of my personal experience each day of his trip, not only as a reference for you, but also as a personal reflection for me on one of the best week's I think I've ever had. Reliving it here with you all is bringing nothing but a smile to my face :)

What To Do & Eat In Los Angeles | Vegan Adventures w/ Conscious Chris + Two $100 Visa GIVEAWAYS!+ A GIVEAWAY!

Chris and I included in our adventure was 5 of the Top 52 #Vegforward Restaurants in the US: Gracias Madre, Plant Food & Wine, Sage Organic Bistro, Crossroads and Cafe Gratitude. We want to give YOU a chance to try out some of these restaurants near you. We have teamed up with Open Table to offer a $100 Visa Gift Card to 2 lucky winners (one on my page, one on his) so you can get your grub on!

VEGFESTI am excited to share that I am going to be a part of the First Annual SoCal Vegfest on November 1, 2015, which also happens to be World Vegan Day & Dia De Los Muertos, bringing in more fun! SoCal Vegfest is a Free-Admission Festival "designed to engage curiosity and inspire consciousness in people of all ages". Their goal, as well as mine, is to inspire and support anyone who is interested in a shift to living a healthier, more environmentally friendly, and compassionate life. The festival is kid-friendly with a kids village!, includes inspiring celebrity speakers, free plant-based food samples, musical entertainment, cooking demos, a yoga tent, interactive booths, food vendors, humane organizations, oh, and Sweet Simple Vegan Merchandise!

_MG_2731Did you know that medjool dates are actually considered a fresh, not dried, fruit?!

This past week, (familiar for those of you who follow me on Instagram or Facebook) I was privileged enough to visit the 2015 Natural Delights Medjool Date Blogger Summit at the Bard Valley date farm.
14 talented women were chosen to attend, and what a great group they chose. A constant flow of energy, passion and giggles all around, I had a good time from my meeting of Kathy at the airport to my final goodbyes to LA. It was interesting to have been put into a group of such a wide variety of bloggers. There was a large variation of opinions and viewpoints,and it was enlightening to open my perspective up a bit to that of others, and grow from the thoughts and experiences of other successful bloggers.