Book Club Member

My roomies and I are starting a book club! I've invited my fellow conservatory dancers to join and my roommates are inviting a few friends, so we're going to have a nice little group. My darling roommate, Britt, selected our first book:

The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman.

I've never before been a member of a book club, but I've always wanted to. I guess some dreams do come true.

For you, Mrs. Ercanbrack

Here's a constructing description as well as some more pictures of the contraption above my bed just for you, Melissa:

Step 1: Saunter into your backyard or a nearby field and and gather up a group of stray branches.

Step 2: Cut many 3 inch wide strips of tissue paper in the color of your choice. Lengths may vary.

Step 4: Twist the strips of tissue paper about every inch and a half.

Step 5: Cut squares of green tissue paper and glue your long (in my case pink) strips of tissue paper to the center of the green squares and twist to form a peak in the center of the green square.

Step 6: With a hot glue gun, glue all of the green peaks to your branches in any desired location.

Step 7: Cut strips of tulle according to the number of branches you have- I recommend white if you have a white ceiling so they won't really show- and tie the strips of tulle to center of the branch so it will balance properly while hanging.

Step 8: Stick a thumb tack through the top of the tulle strip and tack to your ceiling!

I hope this description is clear. Just shoot me with any further questions. Happy d.i.y.ing!

Laughing Lotus

So I've been a yoga fan for quite some time now, but I've never experienced it like the yoga offered at Laughing Lotus. I'm convinced that this is the cutest yoga studio in all the world. There's a studio in the West Village in NYC as well as one here right in the heart of San Fran.

This is not just any old yoga. This is FLOW YOGA. Often in yoga class I get a little bored when teachers have you hold poses too long. I'm a tad on the fidgety side so flow yoga is just what I need. You're moving the whole time and there's a fantasitc playlist in the background for your eardrums to enjoy... and not that gross yoga music that some places make you listen to. No, this is actually good music.

The yoga experience that I'm looking most forward to will occur on Friday night: Midnight yoga with live music! My roommate and I are itching to check it out. This is like a little yoga fairytale!

I Heart S.F.

San Fran is amazing. I've only been here a week and a half but it already feels like home. After 4 hot years in Arizona and 4 steamy summers in NYC I'm still trying to get used to the cold. Don't think that just because I'm in California I'm basking in the California sun... no, no... there is California weather, and there's San Francisco weather. To survive in San Francisco weather you must be bundled at all times. At least I finally have an opportunity to wear my many scarves that I love so dearly.

I love my house and the majority of my 5 roommates. Being right on top of one of the many hills here I have a sensational view from my bedroom window that includes a large San Francisco valley, a Nordstrom, and the Pacific Ocean. What could be better? Maybe being able to see directly into the window of an Anthro at all times.

Not only am I living in one of the greatest cities in the US of A but I am also in the presence of two of the most brilliant dancers/teachers/artists in the world: Summer Lee-Rhatigan and Alex Ketley. I can't begin to express my gratitude for the blessing it is to be one of the 14 dancers that gets to work with them each day. Talk about inspiring!

Each day I wake up finding soreness in my muscles and bruises all over my body, thanks to Alex, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Life is grand here at the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance!