new tricks.

Mangoes at Xmas.

Chai in the bush.

The mandolin.

"Our" vegie garden.

Contemplating life.

One of the many garden updates I received when in Melb.

I love how he's made the juice carton (far right) into a prop for the new seedling.

Such an Italian.

Doughnuts in Italy.

I'm told by customers on a weekly basis how lucky I am for the parents I have. "Yes, I chose them well" is my reply. This week's post is about Tony Locandro:

Dad took me to my first yoga class when I was six. Gave me my first sip of chai at the Body, Mind, Spirit Festival (in a tepee) when I was eight. He used to “forget” to give me messages when boys called when I was fifteen. He taught me to drive our family’s Nissan Bluebird when I was 17 and the day I left home to move to Byron when I was 18, he told me “Don’t forget to eat your vegies”.

When I was at uni in Melbourne he would send regular emails with photos attached of how “our” vegie garden was progressing and then call me and vent about how the white moths were eating the tomatoes again. While studying we would discuss at great lengths over the dinner table about bowel movements and his prostate function while my mum and brother would listen in horror. When I was 23 he bought me a tool box and a bag of cable ties for Xmas and then proudly explained how to use each device.

He taught me all I needed to know when I bought his business at 24 and over the last 26 years of knowing each other; he has always reminded me to be patient, tolerant of others and not to add unnecessary emotions to situations.

So the reason for this blog dedication to my dad today is that he is going to his first Pilates class this morning at 60 years old. I mentioned to him last week that there was an open day for men at my Pilates studio and he sent me a text at 10pm last night saying he wanted to go.

It’s so important to continually try new things and challenge ourselves by stepping out of our comfort zone and meeting some great people along the way. It keeps our lives fresh and interesting and allows us to evolve.

What new things have you done recently?

Have a delicious weekend.

xx.

Get a (balanced) life.

• I love my little shop. It consumes me in both a positive and negative way. But I’ve recently come to a realisation that when I catch up with friends or acquaintances the first thing they say is “Hi Emma, how’s the shop?” Don’t get me wrong, the shop is my baby and all my blood, sweat and tears go into it. But I thought to myself, I used to be “fun and carefree Emma” who loved yoga, gardening, surfing, live music and travelling and now I’m “stressed and boring Emma” who works a lot and spends Friday nights doing bookwork. Who is this girl and where did her life go?

• Subsequently one of my (many) New Years Resolutions for 2011 was to have a life outside of the shop. So this year I’ve started playing tennis, have discovered a fanatical love for pilates and am currently halfway through a yoga intensive course! I took a holiday to Noosa last month, am heading to Melbourne next month and am going to Sydney in December.

• It’s safe to say that my happiness levels have increased ten fold. I used to think I didn’t have any time, but now I’ve realised that I just wasn’t making time. So if you’re living in a comfort bubble, also known as a rut, pop it and get to know yourself again. I highly recommend it. So now people are starting to say to me “How was pilates last night?” and “Did you enjoy your holiday?” Yes I did, thankyou for asking :)

scrub a dub dub.

• Detoxing can be such a dirty word (excuse the pun). People instantly conjure images of a few lonely carrot sticks on a plate, holding their nose as they down pungent green potions and putting up with killer headaches. I beg to differ!


• This is the end of the second wk of my detox or CLEANSE as I like to call it and it's been all about fresh fruit juices, homemade bliss balls and hot epsom salt baths. I've only cheated once with a caramello koala. The larger size ;) Oops!


• One thing that I have been quite religious with is dry body brushing before every shower. Dry body brushing is an excellent way of promoting the flow of the lymphatics, improving circulation, exfoliating away dead skin cells and reducing cellulite (fingers crossed)!


• Grab one with natural bristles and use long, firm strokes towards the heart. We stock the Bodecare collection of brushes that range from super gentle to very stimulating. At least that will stop people buying our EcoStore potato scrubbers -seriously!!

fun in the sun.

Eleven days off work
No phones and no alarms
Copious sunshine and waist high waves
Positive people and belly aching laughs
Salty hair and sandy skin
Late nights and sleep-in’s
Nature walks and koala sightings
Rockmelon sorbet and cinnamon gelato
Coconut prawns and lychee margaritas
One word: freedom

The value of a great holiday is immeasurable. It allows you to escape the rut of autopilot living and peer back at your life to realise what is valuable and what is actually superfluous. As dalai lama as it sounds, holidays allow you to turn inward and assess where your life is going and if it reflects who you really are.

It’s true. Promise xx

a stitch in time saves nine.

Why is it that....

we only go to the dentist when we have a toothache

we only get a massage when our muscles are so tight that they keep us awake at night

we only go to the naturopath after we've had a cold for over a month

we only get a facial when our skin has broken out

we only do a detox when we've got the guilts

we only go on holidays when we get to the point when our adrenals are completely exhausted

Prevention is better than a cure xx

simplicity = beauty.

I'm not a fan of clutter. Since I was little, Dad would ask me "Do you WANT it or NEED it?" which taught me to use my own discretion towards material possessions. Beauty to me is about simplicity. I love how in the film Amelie that she finds pleasure and beauty in the most simplest things like cracking the top of her creme brulee, dipping her hands into bags of grains and skimming stones down the river.

With all the tragic floods in QLD this year, we've seen images of people left with nothing but the clothes on their back. I saw a lady showing a tv reporter through the child care centre where she worked that had been completey gutted by the raging flood waters. Yet I see spoilt toddlers walking around decked out in the latest trends on a daily basis and it baffles me. It really puts having the latest iPhone or third pair of boots into perspective.

Take some time this week to take any kids clothes, toys and books that aren't getting used into the opshop so someone less fortunate can have some joy, pass on books you won't read again and only buy the things you really need and love.

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" -Leonardo da Vinci 1452-1519