by Jasmine | Jan 20, 2020 | Beauty, Couples Yoga, Date Night, Romantic Date Ideas, Valentines Day
I remember a Valentines Day about 15 years ago. My boyfriend didn’t think to make any plans in advance so we called a bunch of restaurants and they were all booked. So we went to a mediocre restaurant and they only had a 5:30 seating available and that was it. We sat down at 5:30 and we were given a prix fixe menu instead of their normal menu and had only a few options of things to order. We were rushed through our dinner so that they could accommodate the next wave of seating at 7 pm. Instead of a memorable, leisurely dinner, we had a rushed, overpriced and limited selection dinner and felt cheated out of what should have been a beautiful evening.
So now, what me and my hottie, hellenic hubby do to celebrate Valentines Day is we go to the best seafood market, get two live Maine lobsters and cook them at home with some chocolate fondue and asparagus by candlelight.
We then give each other warm oil massages… quite a luxurious and decadent night for under $50, instead of the $300 plus if we went out to each at a pretentious restaurant and then to a fancy spa.
It’s evolved into our tradition since it’s just not romantic to eat out at restaurants on Valentines Day. They are so focused on making as much money as they can, that it end up being a price-gouging kind of day for all their customers.
So here are some things you can do with your sweetie… For God’s sakes turn off your phone, tv and no internet either.
10 Wallet-Friendly Things to Do For 
Day
1. Cook dinner at home together- Make sure it is something decadent that you would not normally eat like scallops, lobster, fondue, oysters, red wine. Ideally they are finger foods that you can feed each other. Total Savings -$150.
2. Spa Night – Oh, how I love to be pampered and fawned over while lounging around in my white fluffy robe. Give each other facials, manicures, shave each other, foot and back massages. Total Savings -$200.
3. Dance like the Stars – Put up your disco ball, turn on some funky music for the beginning and then have some slow music for later. Dress up in your suit and tie and your black cocktail dress to make it more special.
4. Karaoke Night – Is there anything more romantic than being serenaded by your sweetie. Make sure to get nice and liquored up first though.
5. Dessert Party – If you are more inclined to spend Vday with other friends, then invite them over for a dessert and wine party. Everyone should bring their favorite wine and dessert ……..and everyone should come dressed in red or pink. We did this a few years ago to a smashing success!
Cook Dinner Together on Valentines Day
6. Partner Yoga – You didn’t think I was going to leave this out. If you’ve never done this, get some partner yoga DVDs or find some on youtube. Light some incense, crank up the Deva Premal music and twist and bend away.
7. Board Games – If you are going to be home with the kids then get the Monopoly and Clue out and find out who killed Mrs White in the library with a candlestick. Everyone should wear red or pink and decorate the place with hearts to stay in the spirit!
8. Staycation – Can’t afford to go away to Aruba? Decorate your place all tropical, put some beach towels out, get out your tropical attire, Bob Marley music and some margaritas and start planning your next vacation like this.
9. Cook him dinner in your bikini – The kids better be away at Grandma’s. Get some fake spray tan to get that nice golden glow in the midst of winter. Put on your high heels and bikini or lingerie and start cooking your pasta primavera.
10. Watch a Chickflick – Rent a copy of The Notebook, Lust-Caution, or The Lover and turn the lights down to snuggle in close during these tearjerkers.
Any other free things that I left off of here?
by Jasmine | Sep 8, 2018 | Couples Retreat, Couples Yoga, eStore, Meditation, Romantic Date Ideas, Stuff I like, Yoga Music, Yoga Teacher training
Top Yoga Meditation Music and Yoga Songs I play in Class
In a yoga class setting up a vibe with lights, music and space is such a key part of the experience. It really takes you to a sacred place and I tend to get all bejiggety is my sound system is not working. Whenever I am teaching at a new place or subbing I make sure to spend awhile understanding how their music system works (I’m not technically inclined and tend to panic when the music won’t start)
I tend to play the same 30 CDs all the time but I love picking up new ones all the time ( a few years from now this list will be very different) Even if you don’t practice yoga, these CDs will work well if you want a sacred vibe for meditation or a special ceremony. A few of them will work well for cocktail parties too. Since I work a lot with couples yoga, I am always looking for couples romance products to review and awesome yoga meditation music.
Shamanic Dream – When I play this in my classes, I almost always get a student come up and ask me what the CD is. It is hypnotic, ambient and a bit tribal all at the same time but with a fairly even tone. I teach a lot of couples yoga classes and I usually play this at the end so people can drop into a very deep space when the lights are very low. This will transport you.
Sound Sleep for Infants -Another CD you won’t usually find on your top ten yoga music CDs. I don’t know if I would play this during the entire class but it works stunningly during Shivasna. It is some ambient music with a heartbeat in the background. This doesn’t work well if there is background noise like an AC in background though. I also play this CD for 40 minutes at night when I have insomnia. This CD makes me feel like I am in the womb.
Dessert Dwellers – One of my students suggested this to me a few months ago. I tend to have a lot of CDs that are not just Sankrit chants and Ooommming. I like the chill, funky vibe but the tone is even enough to play in a class. A good one to play at cocktail hour as well.
Snautam Kaur – I discovered her when I was at Omega a few years ago. She was part of the Ecstatic Chant weekend. Don’t let her turban scare you. She does a few songs in English as well. She has a voice like an angel and you can feel her soul pouring into all of her chants. This is one of the CDs that my yoga students ask me about the most in my yoga class.
Rain – Another CD you won’t usually find on your top ten yoga music CDs. This is acoustic guitar and piano and I remember playing this when I driving around in the mountains of Vermont during the changing of the leaves. I still see the leaves whenever I listen to this. The music just matched the mood so well – melancholically beautiful.
Wah! – The ! is not a typo. I discovered Wah! when I was working at the Chopra Center in San Diego a few years ago. We used to play her CDs in the store to give it a Chopra Center vibe. I’ve seen her play a few times and it always shocks me that she is is not in bigger venues ( she usually leads a Kirtan at a yoga studio) If Natalie Merchant and a chanting Indian guru had a baby then this is who they would produce.
Yoga & Meditation Music and Song Reviews
Le Spa Sonique – Don’t let the purple flowers scare you. This had a euro chill kind of vibe to it, sweet, sultry and sexy. I think I discovered this at Kripalu a few years ago.The beat can be a bit funky and might not work that well during shivasana. This is a great CD to play for a cocktail hour as well.
Deva Premal & Mitten I don’t think you can call yourself a yoga teacher unless you have at least 2 of their DVDs. Deva’s voice is like an angel and their tunes are soulful, sensual and penetrating. I get plenty of students that come up to me after class asking what the music is. I remember the first time I went to one of their concerts. They think of their concerts more like a group of people getting together and singing…very interactive and the way that they lead some of the mantras you’ll feel incredibly connected to the ether of the universe. My favorite song is in English though, “There is so Much Magnificence”. http://www.devapremalmiten.com/ I love Deva Premal yoga music and her songs are so soulful.
Krishna Das What Bruce Springsteen is to Modern Rock, Krishna Das is to the kirtan (group chant) scene. I saw him perform at Omega a few years ago and have been a fan ever since. His songs are in Sankrit which could turn off some of your students ( or could turn the other ones on…everybody’s different). His CDs are good to play in class but attend one of his live shows and watch yogis jump and twirl around in delirium to his music.http://www.krishnadas.com
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by Jasmine | Jan 4, 2018 | Couples Retreat, Date Night, Romantic Date Ideas, Yoga For Men
Very rarely do we take time out of our busy schedule to sit back and indulge ourselves for a few minutes. Usually, a soothing cucumber mask or an oatmeal, almond and avocado body scrub are fleeting fantasies during the day.
As soon as the stoplight turns green or a telephone shrills ten we must snap out of the calming thoughts of spa indulgences and return to our daily grind or screaming, whiny kids and demanding bosses sending emails on your blackberry after 6 pm every five minutes asking about the status of an overdue project…….
A day at a spa can easily be $300 and that is assuming you are just getting one treatment and not staying overnight or not having a fancy dinner. Add in an overnight weekend and suddenly your wallet is $1000 lighter.
This is for the couple who can’t get away to a spa but can luxuriate at with a romantic night at home spa experience with recipes for lotions, oils, rubs, scrubs, wraps and cuisine.
Things you’ll need:
- Sunflower or vitamin E oil
- Sugar or salt
- Fluffy Towels
- Bubble bath or bath salts
- Wine or tea
- Glasses or cups
- Oatmeal, brown sugar and olive oil.
- Fruit, Almonds or chocolate
- Scented candles
- Robe
- Massage Oil ( Olive Oil will also work)
- Shaving cream, razor, lotion
First turn off the phones ( yes that includes your smartphones), and send the kids to Grandma and Grandpa’s for the night.
Shower and Steam together. Crank up the hot water in the shower before you get in to fill the room with steam, then get in and scrub down. Use sunflower oil or vitamin E oil mixed with sugar or salt and rub your partner’s back in even circles to stimulate the skin.
Take a warm bubble bath together. Use scented bubbles or bath salts and sip a glass of wine or cup of hot tea while you enjoy the bath. A hot bath can reduce tension and anxiety and prepare your body for nurturing. Make your own body scrub using oatmeal, brown sugar and olive oil. If you’re feeling really decadent, nibble some fruit or chocolate while you soak.
Light a few scented candles and place them around the room. Turn off the lights and set the mood with some soft music. Have your partner lie on her stomach and get ready for a massage with lotion. Spend at least 15 minutes on the massage, paying special attention to the upper back, shoulders and neck, the spots where people tend to hold in the most anxiety and tension. Be focused on your intention to give love and healing. Check in with your receiver to see if the pressure is ok. If you feel knots, try to rub out the tight spots with your thumb. Have a fluffy robe ready for your partner.
Have you ever shaved your man? It is quite an exercise in trust to have a blade so close to another person’s face. Sit him up in a comfortable chair that provides support for his neck and apply hot towels to his face. For a close shave with less risk of nicks, use a razor with four blades. Start with a shaving cream or oil and massage it into his face and neck. Slowly shave his face in the direction of the hair’s growth. Finish with some shaving lotion.
Give her a thorough, relaxing foot massage. Apply massage oil for about 15 seconds in the microwave in a heat-safe bowl. Have your partner sit in a chair and massage her feet while sitting on the floor. Use your thumbs to rub the soles and balls of her feet in a circular motion.
Have you ever had a romantic night at home spa experience? What did you guys do? How did it go?
by Jasmine | Jan 27, 2017 | Romantic Date Ideas, Valentines Day
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, hearts and flowers are everywhere you turn, but is love really in the air or is it just another Hallmark holiday?
To gain insight on this year’s Valentine’s Day, online dating site AYI.com surveyed over 1,000 people and analyzed over 55,000 responses to some of their most popular multiple-choice questions. Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming holiday…
Although 68% of women and 60% of men agree that Valentine’s Day is all about love—opposed to it being a superficial holiday—of those surveyed, over one in five (22%) said they had been dumped and one in six (17%) said they had been cheated on or that they cheated on Valentine’s Day. Talk about bad timing!
Don’t worry though, there’s still hope for budding romance, as 51% of women and 70% of men would go on a blind date on Valentine’s Day. And somewhat surprisingly, both women AND men prefer a romantic dinner to everything else. Here’s how the responses broke down:
· What women want for Valentine’s Day:
o Romantic Dinner: 44%
o Flowers: 24%
o Nothing: 15%
o Jewelry: 8%
o Sex: 6%
o Candy: 3%
· What men want for Valentine’s Day:
o Romantic Dinner: 35%
o Sex: 26%
o Nothing: 25%
o Flowers: 9%
o Candy: 3%
o Jewelry: 2%
Fair warning: Men taking their dates on a romantic dinner should be prepared to shell out some cash. 64% of women and 71% of men think the man should pay for the date on Valentine’s Day, and 35% of women and 30% of men think they should spend up to $50.00 more on a Valentine’s Day date than a regular date.
by Jasmine | Dec 5, 2016 | Couples Yoga, Date Night, New Age, Partner Yoga, Romantic Date Ideas, Spirituality, Yoga Retreat
Teaching Yoga for Couples at a Spiritual Retreat near Philadelphia and Tantra in Pennsylvania
What Happens in Yoga Couples Classes
A lot of people ask how we decided to teach couples yoga. Actually it was because of my sweetie… my best friend, partner and hottie hellenic hubby.
I have been practicing yoga for over 15 years. When we first started to live together I used to practice to yoga DVDs in the living room. Occasionally he would practice with me but then he said once, ” I really want to do the poses where we are touching each other and helping each other get in the poses.”
So I started to research more couples and partner yoga poses. Most of the partner poses that were out there were fairly acrobatic, very challenging and demanding physically and there didn’t seem to be many poses that were geared towards people that were nonathletic and that didn’t want a Cirque Du Soleil audition.
I wanted to find a mix of poses that were silly, giggly, challenging, strengthening, bonding and once in a while a little scary (adrenaline can add really add some spice and passion to a relationship that is in a long rut) and where you could get that sense that you were beyond gravity in some of the poses. I bought tapes, DVDs, book, went to other partner yoga trainings and classes. I practiced the poses with other yoga teachers.
Almost every Friday night we teach couples yoga in Philadelphia.. in Manayunk, a hip, happening part of town and we teach them quarterly at Temenos in West Chester as a couples spiritual retreat as well.
Although it is work for us to promote the classes, set up, clean up, prepare and organize the classes, we mostly do it because the two of us get so much out of it. It has sort of become our date night although we are sharing it with other couples, most of which we have met for the first time.
At the beginning of class there is usually a mix of giddiness, anxiety, nervousness and excitement. I work with a lot of yoga newbies and people that do not have a regular exercise practice.
I never know what poses I am going to teach since I have to gage the ability of the group before I teach a pose. I’m not going to teach a bunch of crazy balancing poses to someone that just had hip replacement. I don’t want to teach a lot of weight-bearing poses, where one partner has to put all their weight on the other’s body if there is a big weight difference or especially if the woman is a lot heavier than the man.
If the couples are pretty athletic then I want to make sure the moves are fresh and challenging enough to keep it spicy so I’ll avoid the easier poses. If the group is really wound up and edgy, I’ll teach a fair amount of yin or restorative poses so they start to become more tranquil.
Teaching Couples Yoga
I also like to position students in class so that two dudes are not looking right at each other, I think men don’t want to appear vulnerable in front of other men so if they are not looking right at each other then it makes for less performance anxiety for the couples at a spiritual workshops or spiritual retreat.
by Jasmine | Mar 17, 2016 | Date Night, Family Counseling, Romantic Date Ideas
Book Review 1,000 Questions For Couples
One of the biggest reason marriages end in divorce is because couples fail to ask the big questions before they walk down the aisle.
One of my favorite questions is ” How do you think I act in a crisis situation?” A family member of mine, that had been divorced before, would not agree to marry his (now second wife) until he knew how she acted in a crisis situation. If he had asked that of his first wife, or just waited till they were in a crisis situation and seen what a vile lunatic she became, his life would have been mucho, mucho different since he would not have married her. He ended up with a lot of tumult and drama with her since she could not control her emotions when she got upset and got really out of control.
If couples simply spent some time asking each other the questions that really matter, they’d greatly increase their chances of staying together. The great thing about a “question book” is that it makes it easier to ask those uneasy questions and encourages an environment to address them.
But if this “1000 Questions For Couples” is a great list of 1000 questions to ask before marriage the right book for this? In short, yes. Most question books ‘beat around the bush,’ never really providing the important questions, and others simply don’t have enough questions. On the other hand, this book has a fairly comprehensive collection of questions, covering every single topic you’d ever want to know about before tying the knot. It includes tough subjects like money, children & child rearing, career, past and present relationships, religion, morals, convictions & beliefs, personality, and even sex.
RECOMMENDED BY MY PASTOR
“I read a statistic somewhere that if you go to pre-marital counseling before you get married it will cut down your probability of getting divorced by 75%.
I’m not sure if that is true but it certainly makes sense to have some sort of thorough discussion on all the vital topics before you say I do. I had asked my minister at church if he knew of any “tests” we should take before we get married to make sure we knew each other and he recommended this book with 1000 questions to ask my future hubby.
I must say that it was extremely thorough and asked quite a number of questions that I didn’t really feel comfortable answering but in the end drew me and my fiance really close together. Most questions were really fun to answer and I loved hearing my fiances answers – I learned a lot more about him than I thought I would. I definitely recommend this book.”
– T. Cat
But don’t get me wrong while there are many serious and tough topics to discuss, there are also many “lighter” yet just as important topics, including the car and driving, vacations, food & well being, pets, and your favorite things. That’s one thing I really loved about this book. It covered every conceivable topic from the super-heavy to the light-hearted and wacky, making it smoother for couples to start with easy questions and build their way up to important ones.
They make for great conversations starters…. ever feel like you have the same kind of conversation with your significant other every day? “How was your day at the office dear? …Oh…boring and mindless….how was yours.?” This book is a way to keep your conversations fresh and spicy and you will find out all kinds of things about your mate and get to know them on a very multi-faceted level.
It was cool to get 3 – 5 of the questions to my email each day, making everything automatic. I just go about my day and get new questions to ask my loved one, without having to really think about it. In all, there’s nothing really negative I can say about this book, except that I wish my family member would have read this before he got married….I’m sure he wishes that too….. divorce is so gut-wrenching…for the partners and the kids.
I highly recommend this book for everyone. NOT just couples who are thinking of getting married but also couples who just want to feel closer together, or people dating, who just want more things to talk about. For all the details check out the author’s site by clicking this link.
I remember a Valentines Day about 15 years ago. My boyfriend didn’t think to make any plans in advance so we called a bunch of restaurants and they were all booked. So we went to a mediocre restaurant and they only had a 5:30 seating available and that was it. We sat down at 5:30 and we were given a prix fixe menu instead of their normal menu and had only a few options of things to order. We were rushed through our dinner so that they could accommodate the next wave of seating at 7 pm. Instead of a memorable, leisurely dinner, we had a rushed, overpriced and limited selection dinner and felt cheated out of what should have been a beautiful evening.