Om Hop Yoga

Never ever lose faith. Possibility is always around the corner.

 

This video may or may not have made me cry like a little girl... they were happy and hopeful tears though.  If you ever need a reminder that anything in life is possible, this is it.  

a welcome reprieve in the Berkshires

Spending 3 beautiful days in the Berkshires with the love of my life was just what this birthday girl needed to commence another year in this magnificent world.  You can actually breathe in the Berkshires.  This is not only because the air is so fresh, but time slows down setting a perfect pace to life.  I guess this is what vacation is about, but I honestly hadn't given my soul a chance to simply breathe and slow down in quite a while.  This was a wonderful reminder that the possibility is just around the corner and I can tap into it even via a simple meditation.  

I won't go into too much detail, but I had such a wonderful time that I simply had to recap our adventures from the weekend if only to one day take myself back to this wonderful reprieve.  

***************

Aran booked us a room in a motel-turned-contemporary-B&B called The Briarcliff Motel.  It was bought a couple years ago by two Brits, Richard and Clare, who couldn't be more welcoming.  The common area where I could have spent hours lounging, leafing through cooking magazines or losing myself in a good book has a cozy country feel.  They even thought to add a little fire stove which draws you in like a magnet on a cold Fall or Winter afternoon. The rooms have a very minimalist and contemporary feel and you can tell a lot of thought was put into them.  I thought the place was absolutely perfect and I honestly can't imagine staying anywhere else the next time we head up there!  It set a perfect tone for our weekend getaway! [Feel free to check out our TripAdvisor review on The Briarcliff for more photos!]

Common area with view of dining table where we had our delicious breakfast consisting of warm freshly baked scones, local yogurt with homemade granola, and of course Barrington Coffee Roasters coffee.  

Lounge where we enjoyed a few hours of leisurely reading while sipping on a great cup of Joe (Aran) or some mint tea (moi). 

Aran reveling in an almost ethereal cup of Barrington Coffee.  These guys are the real deal - no pretence, the coffee simply speaks for itself.  Unfortunately, they don't have any places in NYC that sell their coffee, but they do deliver!  And let me tell you it's worth it!  For a little inspiration, check out their website and this video!   They do have their own little shop in Boston though if you're out there. 

After checking into the Briarcliff we zipped over to the Barrington Coffee Roastery before it closed for the weekend.  Lucky us, our new friend Heck, one of the roasters, gave us an awesome tour of the digs. 

Friday evening, upon Richard and Clare's recommendation, we had dinner at Nudel in Lenox.  About a 10-15 minute drive from Great Barrington, Lenox is a darling little town.  We got there at around 4:30pm with plenty of time to stroll through the streets and peak into shops, bookstores and cafes.  Of course our bellies have minds of their own and by 5:45pm we couldn't wait to eat any longer.  We sat at the "Chef's table" at Nudel - highly recommend this as you get to be right in the midst of all the action happening in the kitchen in front of you and you will likely get a chance to chat with the Chef - and our eyes wanted to devour everything on the menu!  Thankfully we did have a bit of self-control and decided to share the chicken skin tacos (pictured above), parsnip soup, and orecchiette with beef ragu that came with a bowl of extra sauce for me because the Chef overheard I am sensitive to wheat (so incredibly thoughtful!). Delicious!  Nudel is the kind of place where you eat your meal at a leisurely pace and slowly sip on your wine as you gape at all the dishes coming out of the kitchen.  And if you're lucky you may even get treated to a little taste of some dark chocolate/ goat cheese truffles that will melt your heart and effortlessly bring you into the present moment, if the ambiance in the kitchen and your meal didn't bring you there already.  Nudel posts a new menu at around 3pm every day and it's based on what was available at the market that morning.  Brilliant. 

Saturday morning we got up bright and early, fortified ourselves with a delicious breakfast of warm freshly baked scones, local yogurt with homemade granola and Barrington coffee (all at The Briarcliff!) and set off for Bash Bish Falls.  

The hike was incredibly reviving.  It made me feel like I had finally escaped the frenetic hustle and bustle of the city.  There's nothing like nature to remind you that you can finally breathe again and allow yourself to imbibe the crisp freshness of country air in Autumn.  

Post Bash Bish Falls we were ready to eat again and before getting lunch at Ruby's (the Rubiner's Cheesemongers cafe), we sampled some stinky and decadent cheeses at Rubiner's.  At Ruby's Aran had the Cuban and I a corn quesadilla with local ham and hot peppers.  Again, delicious. 

With our bellies full, it was time to lose ourselves in Norman Rockwell's paintings at his Museum in Stockbridge.  The grounds alone are worth the visit and I imagine in the summertime they're filled with museum-goers frolicking in the grass amongst the scluptures!

I'm always astonished as to how much of life can be lived when you wake up early.  After feeding our eyes and our right brains with Norman Rockwell's art we had a pre-dinner snack at the Red Lion Inn.  Simply walking around in this historic building, with the creaky floors and antiquated furniture takes you back in time.  It has a lot of soul.  A delicious lentil soup and some deviled eggs satiated us for the time being and before heading back to The Briarcliff for some much needed lounging and reading, we wanted to check out the much raved-about Berkshire Mountain Bakery.  Again, our timing was impeccable because we had the fortune of speaking with the master baker himself!  Where the bread is baked is adjacent to their store and we couldn't resist peaking in.  Before we knew it, one of the assistant bakers, probably sensing our curiosity nudged us toward the master baker.  Of course a memorable conversation ensued and progressed for almost 30 minutes.  Richard enlightened us with the intricacies of bread-making.  We walked away feeling like we just received a lesson from a respected Professor. Even afte 25 years, Richard has an real passion and a schoolboy's curiosity for bread and bread making.  He talked to us about how drastically bread-making has changed since when humans first began eating this fluffy and crispy goodness and how important sticking with the traditional methods is to him.  He is even working with a nutritionist to figure out how to make wheat bread that is digestible to people like her who have developed a sensitivity to gluten.  If you are as fascinated as I was by this man, check out the Berkshire Mountain Bakery website for more info on his philosophy and the ways he tries to apply old world bread-making techniques to modern palates.  [The memorable conversation had to be commemorated with an impromptu photo of Richard and me.]

For my birthday dinner we went to the newly opened Bell & Anchor, a Mark Firth restaurant.  The place had a country rustic feel and while the hostess had a bit of a feisty demeanor, we grabbed a couple chairs at the bar and had a wonderfully delicious meal.  The menu is focused around ingredients from Firth’s farm, including produce, eggs, honey, maple syrup, pigs, ducks and guinea hens.  If you go, be prepared for a pretty meat-centric menu!  

On Sunday morning we took another refreshing walk and this time it was around a lake about 10 minutes from The Briarcliff.  It's amazing how ravenous fresh air and a walk in nature can make you so after checking out and bid Clare and Richard of The Briarcliff au revoir we headed over the Brickhouse for some badass grass-fed burgers.   We devoured the Mushroom Burger and the "Brickhouse Burger" and didn't look back!   Mmm mm.  

We drove home refreshed and recharged.  A perfect little birthday getaway.  

*******************

While this entry also belongs on my photography blog, I wanted to share it with my Om Hop blog readers as an inspiration piece.  The Berkshires are no more than 3 hours away from the city by car and there, among the friendliest of locals, rejuvenating hikes, decadent organic food and some of the most ethereal coffee you'll ever drink, you will find the breathing room you may be seeking .  And you're guaranteed to come back with a little piece of the country whether it be a slice of cheese, a new friend, insights into bread-making, or a clear, relaxed and peaceful mind.  

 

 

The perks of becoming a spontaneous cook

 

How often do you come home and simply lack the energy to "cook" anything and don't really want to spend the money on take-out?  Whether we're working or taking care of the kids all day (which most mothers will admit is much like working), we all have those nights.  So what's the solution?  When Aran is here, he is typically able to effortlessly whip something up.  Aran is not always home early though and let's face it most of us don't have a co-habitant that can skillfully put together a tasty beautiful meal in no-time!  

I was inspired to write this entry on such a night.  I came home from work quite drained and the last thing I wanted to do was heat up some protein and greens or wait for the brown rice to cook.  So I peeked in the fridge and realized I could throw a bunch of delicious items together that while by themselves wouldn't really work, all together made a pretty complete meal.  As you see in the photo, I combined some smoked salmon with sliced cucumber, a handful of lettuce, hummus, olives, and sundried tomatoes.  The green frying peppers I started to sautee before I took everything else out and they were ready when the rest of my little Mediteranean-inspired ingredients were arranged in no particular manner on my plate.  Once the peppers softened, I drizzled the plate with olive oil and fresh lemon juice.

To be able to put such a wholesome and tasty meal together in no more than 10-12 minutes, is so easy, it just requires a little planning ahead so that when you're grocery shopping you know exactly what to buy.   I always stock up on things like smoked salmon or canned sardines, olives, sundried tomatoes, hummus, lettuce, canned beans and chickpeas. I really like these foods and I know they will either stay fresh for a week or two, like the sundried tomatoes and olives, or I'll eat them within a few days if they don't.  That is the basic rule.  So here we go:

BASIC RULES

1. Stock up on ingredients that (1) you love to eat and will consume in a few days if highly perishable and (2) that you love and will keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks.  

2. They should be solid foods truly satiate you and give you real nutrients!  I am not talking about white bread or pasta or anything too processed.  It's nice adding something like brown rice crackers or a piece of whole wheat toast, but don't over do it.  The intention is to eat whole nutrient-rich foods. 

3. Put together some tasty concoctions a day or two ahead when you have time so that you can add those to make your meal more complete.  I love making quinoa tabouleh in advance or simply having the grain by itself (it cooks within 15 minutes!) - quinoa is a grain that is also a source of complete protein.  It's a wholesome way to complete your impromptu dinner.  Also, you can make some extra rice that you can quickly reheat with some spices and herbs and a pot of lentil stew will last you a few days and is a healthy way to complete a quick meal as well!

Here are some ideas for items to have:

- canned beans and chickpeas

- olives

- sundried tomatoes

- smoked salmon

- canned sardines in olive oil

- hummus 

- carrots

- cucumber 

- lettuce 

- brown rice crackers 

- bell peppers

- pickles

- a nuts and seeds mix

- tofu

- cheese

- deli meat

I'm also writing this entry because I know all too well, how easy it is to slip into a routine of malnourishment - resorting to bread, pasta, cereal, etc. when our bodies need those greens, legumes and veggies.  Bread, pasta, and cereal are nice to eat every once in a while, but they don't contain the abundance of nutrients our bodies need. 

----------------------------

And as a little bonus.  Here's a recipe for a curried lentil stew I made last winter!  

Curried Lentil Stew

2 table spoons olive or canola oil

2 1/2 cups water

1 large onion - julienned

1 cup green lentils

1 stalk celery - diced

1 carrot - diced

2-3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon sage

1/2 teaspoon dry sage

1 table spoon zatar spice mix

Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium-sized pot, sautee the onions, celery and carrots in the oil until the onions start getting translucent.  Add the spices and sweat for about 5 minutes.  

While onion mixture is cooking, sift through the lentils and take out any rocks.  Then when ready, add the lentils to the sauteed vegetables and pour over with water.  Cook for 30 minutes or until lentils are soft.  Add more water as necessary.  Add salt and pepper at the end.