Weekend: Yoga Assits, Squash Blossoms and Puppy Fever

Hi and hope your week is off to a good start. It’s a really pretty day in Charlotte. We finally got a break in the crazy humidity that we came home to. I can’t wait to walk the girls this evening. 🙂

We’ll say my weekend kicked off on Thursday night with a sushi date at Namastay Kitchen with Dorie after both of us taught. I was only gone a week but I missed her so much and we had tons to catch up on.

This was very much a “working weekend” as it was the second weekend of our summer teacher training program and our assist training weekend. We offered a 15-hour assisting course that our TTs took and we also had some other teachers/students join us for the training. I taught two classes on Friday and spent a few hours in the assist training.

I was up early on Saturday morning to visit the farmers market. I took coffee and a smoothie with me to go.

I’ve always heard great things about the Matthews Community Farmers Market and since we now live closer to it than the Charlotte Regional, I decided to try it out. It’s a much smaller market than the regional but I still managed to spend 30-45 minutes browsing.

Here’s what I came home with…eggs, a half-gallon of kombucha, kohlrabi, eggplant, squash and zucchini, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, squash blossoms and beets. I liked that the Matthews Farmers Market was strictly local farmers and no produce “vendors” but I found the prices to be much higher than my favorite farmers at the regional and the selection a little more limited. I would definitely go again since this market is so close to me but I’ll visit the Charlotte Regional when my schedule allows.

I also almost came home with a puppy. The Greater Charlotte SPCA was hosting an adoption event in downtown Matthews so of course I had to stop and pet the dogs. Y’all, this sweet girl instantly grabbed my attention and I felt this connection with her. Her name is Valerie. She was so loving and gave me tons of kisses and wanted belly rubs. She’s a mix between a golden and a chow and weighs 35 pounds. She’s about a year old. I can’t stop thinking about her. I’m not sure that we can manage a fourth right now (and our landlord would probably evict us) but I want to make sure she finds a good home. If you’re in the Charlotte area and looking to add a pup to your family, please consider Valerie. Here is her page on Petfinder.

After the market I went to the studio to teach my 11:15 and then rushed back home to eat lunch and shower before an early afternoon acupuncture appointment. I grabbed a cupcake from the newly opened CupCrazed location at Park Road on my way back to the studio.

I spent the next few hours leading assist training before breaking at 6 p.m. When I got home I thought I might go for a run or walk the dogs but I was SO tired so I finally unpacked my suitcase and organized.

Dorie texted me around 7:30 p.m. and invited us out since one of our friends was in town from school. My immediate reply was “no, I am so tired” but Tanner convinced me to go for a while.

We shared sea scallops with pork belly.

And this grilled okra. Doris also let me eat the crispy leftover pieces of her truffle fries. (Best part!)

Of course I was so glad that I decided to go out and had such a great night with my friends. There were lots of laughs…especially at this selfie group photo fail. HA!

I got up early on Sunday to catch up on computer work. Digging my way out post-vacation. I had two eggs scrambled in Kerrygold and plain whole milk yogurt with granola, bananas and strawberries.

I worked on the computer until about 1 p.m. and then went to the studio to finish up the last few hours of assist training and to shoot a workout that I’ll be posting for you guys later this week.

I wrapped up the day with a run, editing photos and videos, making graphics and collages and cooking dinner.

I was so excited to use the squash blossoms that I picked up at the farmers market.

I turned them into a delicious pasta dish with squash, squash blossoms, cherry tomatoes, basil garlic infused oil and ricotta. It was delish!

Do you like receiving assists in yoga class? If so, what are your favorite poses to be assisted in? 

Anyone else visit the farmers market over the weekend? Pick up anything interesting? 

Have you ever cooked with squash blossoms?