early to bed, early to rise?

anyone else out there have trouble going to bed early? i get soooo caught up in e-mailing, planning my next day, reading, and internet surfing that it is hard to pull away. however, last night i went to bed at 11 and tonight i plan to go to bed at 11:30.

i know we're all different - some are morning people, some are night owls, and then there's everything in between. during last night's teleclass, one of the girls noted how she has started going to bed around 11 and getting up around 7 and that the shift has made a big difference in her life.

a couple of weeks ago i had a 7am meeting on a friday so my alarm went off at 6:20am. ugh. i don't usually schedule meetings before 10:30am! well, i was amazed that i wasn't tired all day and during the noon yoga class i was taking that day, i realized that i'd been up for 6 hours already. wow, big shift.

soooo, i'm trying to make the shift. i know it is supposed to be better for our natural rhythms so i'm willing to give it a try. any of you out there have a tale from the dark side? were you able to transform from night queen to rise-with-the-sun queen? or even rise-at-8am-queen? how'd you break the cycle? and, have you found the shift to be enhancing?

hip tranquil chick podcast #72: soulful surroundings (chapter 11)

click play to hear this episode... or click here to listen to older shows!

Welcome to the 72nd edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat. Recorded at Tranquil Space Yoga.

Today’s podcast is on soulful surroundings (chapter 11), topped of with a pose AND look of the podcast, and fabulous tunes! View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

Mary Carlomagno is the owner of Order Period which specializes in clutter control, urban apartment solutions, office spaces and shopping addictions. Mary’s philosophy is simple, do not let clutter control your life. Her easy going approach, sense of style and strong communication skills create an atmosphere where organizing is fun. Her approach has been featured in Woman’s Day, Quick and Simple, For Me magazine, Newsday and the Daily News. Her helpful tips have been sited in professional newsletters including National Association of Freelance Entrepreneurs, AXA advisors and Home Business Magazine.

Mary writes frequently on the subject of getting organized for magazines and newspapers including The Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, Pink and Figure. This year, her first book Give it Up! My Year of Learning to Live Better with Less was published by HarperCollins. She was featured on the Today show and Fox News as well as on radio programs across the country. She lectures to corporations like American Express, to community groups like the Kiwanis Club and to business organizations like Business Networking International.

Pose of the Podcast: Warrior 1

Look of the Podcast: TranquiliT Jumpsuit

Community Corner: e-cards, forum, and desktop

Haute Stuff Shoppe: Shop online for the book, CD, leopard print scarf, or crystal tee.

Soirees, Chats, Booksignings & Retreats: Host a Hip Tranquil Chick Signature ChariTea Soiree! The downloadable PDF has is a toolkit for leading a hip and tranquil book club! All hip tranquil chicks who agree to host a soiree in 2007 will be sent a lovely leopard-print headband and scarf as thank yous!

NY gals - New York Book Launch Party on Thursday, March 8 at Lolita.

Denver gals - workshops and book signing at Omtime in April.

All gals - Escape with me and like-minded women at our first HTC retreat in upstate NY in June and our first international excursion in Costa Rica in September. Details for all special events at hiptranquilchick.com.

Au Revoir: Share your hip tranquil chickness with me, request show ideas, or pass along feedback by e-mailing me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com. A reminder that we’re on MySpace and Frappr, so please connect with the community virtually there, too!

Have a burning question that you’d like hip and tranquil feedback on? E-mail me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com to have it featured and answered in our dear hip tranquil chick segment found on the blog.

To close out the show, we’re playing podsafe music by new and independent artists from IODA Promonet. Today’s selection is Jersey City by The Frequency. You can learn more this week's featured artist, including how to get more of their music on The Frequency's myspace page.

Thanks for joining me for the 72nd edition of the HTC podcast.

You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes!

New to podcasting? Get more info at Yahoo Podcasts.

Do you have iTunes? Click here and subscribe to the podcast. You'll automatically get the latest edition as soon as it's available.

Do you use another podcatcher? Use this link for the podcast RSS feed.

check out lime.com

happy saturday all. fresh home from a full day of teaching at the studio, reading julia cameron's memoir at starbucks (almost done and LOVING it), and leading teachers-in-training through hip poses. delighted to collapse in front of a warm fire to watch a movie with beau and pug. wanted to share an interview i did recently which will premiere next weekend while i'm leading my annual spring blossom retreat (and sadly offline for a couple of days). tune in next friday and have a delightful rest of your saturday! if you're not familiar with lime.com, check it out as they have all sorts of great tips. xoxo

It’s All Good with Claire Papin
Guest - Kimberly Wilson, Premiere March 2nd

PREMIERES: FRIDAYS 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET
REPLAYS: FRIDAYS 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET
SATURDAYS 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM ET
WEDNESDAYS 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM ET

Listen either on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 114, or at LIME.com where the streaming airs with a 24 hour delay.

fab quote

A fellow hip tranquil chick passed along this fabulous quote by Erma Bombeck:

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and can say, 'I used everything you gave me.'"

Wow, isn't this the perfect kick in the pants we need to keep making things happen? Let's use all the talents we're given (and more!).

thursday musings

i hope your day is off to a fabulous start. thank you for the great feedback on the desktop. i'm delighted that you're pleased. the e-cards and forum should be up within a few days as my webmaster is finalizing the code.

last night's book signing in crystal city was intimate and cozy. a couple fabulous femmes drove an hour for the event and it turned out that they worked at the women's center - a phenom organization that i've wanted to connect with for a few years. synchronicity! beau came - sweet token male in the audience - and we headed to the nearby tapas place for a quick bite and sangria. then back to dc to meet up with three other delightful girlfriends at the tabard inn. we laughed for hours, sipped vino, and indulged in a cheese plate. the quintessential girls' night! during our session we decided to form a feminist book club and are starting with the feminine mystique by betty friedan. i can't wait to dive into this book. it's been on my to-do list for almost a year and now i have the accountability to make it happen.

i hope you've had a great week. february can be a bit dreary but a reminder that spring is around the corner. truly! get some fresh air, keep moving, take a nap, dance to your favorite tunes, pet your puppy, and indulge in a special $5 treat (p. 78 of hip tranquil chick) that won't break the bank.

desktop for you!

you asked for it and we designed it. check out our new hip tranquil chick desktop on our connect page. hope you love it! xo

inner chic teleclass series launched

what fun! last night was the premiere of our inner chic teleclass series focused on chapters 4-6. while we chatted, one caller from sri lanka was sitting outside to get better reception so we got to hear what sounded like monkeys or large birds throughout the call - made it a bit more exotic than the typical police sirens of the city. it felt so good to connect with some fabulous souls from around the world and i'm delighted to share that the forum is almost complete. i have to finalize it and you'll be able to dive into convos with other hip tranquil chicks on our connect page. thanks to all of you for resonating with all things hip and tranquil. i'm honored to be in your presence. i'm also VERY excited to share some great interviews and podcasts coming up soon. in addition, beau and i are already planning our 100th edition (can you believe that it is only 29 weeks away). sure it seems early, but i want it to be very special. if you have suggestions, as always, pass them along. merci beaucoup for being you! (it rhymes . . . ok, kinda lame but it made me giggle)

book signing THIS week!

Dearest across-the-river hip tranquil chicks, come out THIS Wednesday for some book signing fun at the new Olsson's in Crystal City, VA! I'd LOVE to meet and mingle with you on all things hip and tranquil.

hip tranquil chick podcast #71: financial finesse (chapter 9)

click play to hear this episode... or click here to listen to older shows!

Welcome to the 71st edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat. Produced at the Pink Palace.

Today’s podcast is on a discussion of Chapter 9 Financial Finesse, topped of with a look and pose of the podcast, and fun tunes! View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

Interview with Sarah Kaplan – a partner at Kaplan Financial Group, Kaplan Benefits Group, LLC, and “K” Financial, LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor. Sarah is a graduate of the University of Maryland’s R.H. Smith School of Business, where she received recognition as the top graduate in her major. Sarah is a regular guest speaker at the Smith School where she instructs graduating seniors how to adapt to life after college financially. E-mail her directly at sarah@kaplanfinancialgroup.com.

Pose of the Podcast: Happy baby

Look of the Podcast: TranquiliT armwarmers with tube top over tube dress

Community Corner: e-cards, forum, and desktop coming this week!

Haute Stuff Shoppe: Shop online for the book, CD, leopard print scarf, or crystal tee.

Soirees, Chats, Booksignings & Retreats: Join us for a three-week teleclass focused on Chapters 4-6 (Vision, Self-Care, Creativity) from Hip Tranquil Chick. Each one-hour session will include a musing by Kimberly on the chapter, OMwork and downloadable worksheets to do in between the sessions, a study buddy, and discussion time.

The fun begins THIS Monday, February 19 and continues through Monday, March 5 from 8-9pm EST. $65. To reserve your spot, click here. Space is limited to ensure ample discussion time.

Host a Hip Tranquil Chick Signature ChariTea Soiree! The downloadable PDF has is a toolkit for leading a hip and tranquil book club! All hip tranquil chicks who agree to host a soiree in 2007 will be sent a lovely leopard-print headband and scarf as a host gift. Check out the one hosted in Culver City, CA.

Local gals – come out for a booksigning THIS WEDNESDAY, February 21 in Crystal City, VA.

NY gals - New York Book Launch Party on Thursday, March 8 at Lolita.

Denver gals - workshops and book signing at Omtime in April.

All gals - Escape with me and like-minded women at our first HTC retreat in upstate NY in June and our first international excursion in Costa Rica in September. Details for all special events at hiptranquilchick.com.

Au Revoir: Share your hip tranquil chickness with me, request show ideas, or pass along feedback by e-mailing me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com. A reminder that we’re on MySpace and Frappr, so please connect with the community virtually there, too!

Have a burning question that you’d like hip and tranquil feedback on? E-mail me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com to have it featured and answered in our dear hip tranquil chick segment found on the blog.

To close out the show, we’re playing podsafe music by new and independent artists from IODA Promonet. Today’s selection is 3 Cities by Vincent Casanova. You can learn more this week's featured artist, including how to get more of his music at vincentcasanova.com.

Thanks for joining me for the 71st edition of the HTC podcast!

the joy of shaking things up & memoirs

today i skipped my usual schedule of teaching and taking class to indulge in some chinese take-out and reading time at starbucks with beau. then i returned to the studio for a 2-hour practice with some of our fabulous teachers. the simple act of doing things a bit off routine can have such a refreshing effect.

tonight beau and i watched frida with salma hayek. what a fab flick and what a phenomenal woman frida kahlo was. i get so inspired reading and watching women who were decades ahead of their time, so bold, so artistic, and so talented. if you haven't read much about this fab woman, i encourage you to do so. i definitely plan on exploring her further.

marily monroe was my high school obsession and anais nin was my post-college obsession. finding women who carved their own path and reading their stories can provide inspiration and strength, along with a fresh perspective. it's always nice to get out of our own heads and dive into the life of another - especially women such as these.

i'm reading a great book about writing memoir as literature called your life as story by tristine rainer. since i'm currently fascinated by memoirs and have always loved reading about other women's lives, i find the concept of memoir divine. it's not a tell-all in chronological order but rather a sharing of a sliver of one's world with readers.

types of memoirs focus on a particular time, place or person:
1. particular period of your life
2. coming of age (angelou's i know why the caged bird sings)
3. a particular setting (dinesen's out of africa)
4. ecological (thoreau's walden)
5. relationship with a certain individual or group (hemingway's a moveable feast)

or a particular theme:
6. vocational and occupational (gandhi's autobiography)
7. philosophic (zen and the art of motercycle maintenance)
8. adventure
9. historical
10. dealing with adversity
11. psychological illness (girl interrupted)
12. confession
13. spiritual quest
14. meditation and reverie
15. personal essay
16. travelog
17. family history

i'm finding this genre sooo exciting. any other memoir-interested gals out there? if so, recommend some of your favorites. it's like a little dose of fiction mixed with non-fiction b/c it is an enticing story that usually has a message within. a win-win!

i'm addicted - more confessions

between taking and teaching class tonight, i was shaking and in need of a serious sugar fix. i'd had enough food during the day (lovely bowl of raisin bran to start the day and yummy veggie sub at lunch), but i needed a peanut butter power bar topped off with carnation hearts and a few shortbread cookies with red sprinkles to keep going. i've come to realize that i have a sugar problem. sure i've bought books like the hip chick's guide to macrobiotics and relished in the concepts, but i just can't curb my sugar "problem." i was happy to be cavity-free at the latest dentist visit (yay for more flossing), but how to shake the raised-on-processed-sugary-foods syndrome?

ok, more addictions - confession is cleansing. i get very anxious when i'm away from e-mail. 2 nights ago beau was trying to back up my 20K e-mails (i'm serious) and i woke up at 4am wanting to reconnect with e-mail since i didn't have a chance before going to bed because he was running some techy program. post script - i went back to bed and waited until first thing in the morning! talk about control.

i can't survive without lipgloss. my lips actually hurt after i'm done eating or brushing my teeth - begging to be reglossed.

my body aches without yoga. i'm sure you can relate.

my mind swirls without my planner pad - i never leave home without it (unless i'm going to a quick soiree). it's my form of meditation.

smells - i burn tons o' candles coupled with incense, plug-ins, and a fabreze machine -- all in different scents while wearing white musk perfume oil by the body shop.

my body would be permanently cold without tres hot baths - complete with lush bath bombs, of course. fresh out of a rose-filled one where rosebuds were actually floating around me. truly delightful.

considering my pulse goes up when i enter bookstores and i lose touch with reality, i also think i have a serious book-buying problem.

other than these minor struggles, i'm perfectly balanced! (note hint of sarcasm)

happy valentine's day!

greetings from snowy dc. last night beau and i were like two grade schoolers staying up late, peering outside for snow, and checking the weather reports. it's funny how snow returns us to our childhood days. although dc was only delayed by 2 hours today, i hope some of you (especially on the upper east coast) are enjoying the white landscape. in addition to this welcomed change of scenery, it is valentine's day. be sure to take extra special care of yourself. i started the day with a toasted croissant topped off organic raspberry jam and pomegranate tea. yum! take time to celebrate YOU, do something creative (bake heart cookies, write a poem, make a snow angel), and reach out to someone who has affected your life in a positive way. happy, happy v-day, girls!

the secret

ok, have you all gotten into this new phenomenon? EVERYONE is talking about this book and the dvd. i've picked it up twice, scolded myself for having too many books, and walked away from it - not easy for me to do. featured on oprah last week, this seems to be the talk of the town. the basic concept seems to be that we attract what we think about. nothing terribly new but clearly presented in a way that has the world abuzz. i must confess that i'm quite curious as it has received rave reviews. anyone want to share their experience with the secret?

hip tranquil chick podcast #70: happy v-day!

click play to hear this episode... or click here to listen to older shows!

Welcome to the 70th edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat. Back in DC at the Pink Palace.

Today’s podcast is on self-love in honor of the upcoming holiday, along with a pose of the podcast, look of the podcast, NEWLY added community corner, upcoming events, and more festive podsafe music! View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

To love yourself is the beginning of a lifelong romance — Oscar Wilde

Fave Self-love Strategies:
1. Nourish your mind
2. Nourish your body
3. Nourish your spirit
4. Create a true love relationship with yourself

Community Corner: Putting together forum, e-cards, and desktop. Watch for it under the “connect” page of HTC.

Pose of the Podcast: Sphinx Pose

Look of the Podcast: Fabulous velvet tunic – wear it over jeans or alone with tall boots. Available at TranquiliT.com.

Haute Stuff Shoppe: Shop online for the book, CD, leopard print scarf, or crystal tee.

Soirees, Chats, Booksignings & Retreats: Join us for a three-week teleclass focused on Chapters 4-6 (Vision, Self-Care, Creativity) from Hip Tranquil Chick. Each one-hour session will include a musing by Kimberly on the chapter, OMwork and downloadable worksheets to do in between the sessions, a study buddy, and discussion time. The fun begins Monday, February 19 and continues through Monday, March 5 from 8-9pm EST. $65. Or add on a “boost” for a 1-hour 1:1 mentoring session with Kimberly for $150 (includes teleclass series & mentoring for a $40 savings). To reserve your spot, click here. Space is limited to ensure ample discussion time.

Host a Hip Tranquil Chick Signature ChariTea Soiree! The downloadable PDF has is a toolkit for leading a hip and tranquil book club! All hip tranquil chicks who agree to host a soiree in 2007 will be sent a lovely leopard-print headband and scarf as a host gift. Check out the one hosted in Culver City, CA.

Local gals – come out for a booksigning February 21 in Crystal City, VA.

NY gals - New York Book Launch Party on Thursday, March 8 at Lolita.

Denver gals - workshops and book signing at Omtime in April.

All gals - Escape with me and like-minded women at our first HTC retreat in upstate NY in June and our first international excursion in Costa Rica in September. Details for all special events at hiptranquilchick.com.

Au Revoir: Share your hip tranquil chickness with me, request show ideas, or pass along feedback by e-mailing me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com. A reminder that we’re on MySpace and Frappr, so please connect with the community virtually there, too!

Have a burning question that you’d like hip and tranquil feedback on? E-mail me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com to have it featured and answered in our dear hip tranquil chick segment found on the blog.

To close out the show, we’re playing podsafe music by new and independent artists from Podsafe Music Network. Today’s selection is All Around by Clare Dowling. You can learn more this week's featured artist, including how to get more of her music at mootmusic.co.uk.

Thanks for joining me for the 70th edition of the HTC podcast. Namaste.

You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes!

New to podcasting? Get more info at Yahoo Podcasts.

Do you have iTunes? Click here and subscribe to the podcast. You'll automatically get the latest edition as soon as it's available.

Do you use another podcatcher? Use this link for the podcast RSS feed.

dear hip tranquil chick . . .

Q: I have got to ask you about time management. I remember you did a program a while ago but it just skimmed the surface of my issues. So, it seems like you have so many things going on in your life. How do you keep things straight? How do you prioritize your to dos? What does it look like for you? Do you use to do lists on paper or palm? Do you list your personal and work related things together? Do you have an online calander that reminds you what is coming up or what tasks you have? I have my own small biz that I am starting plus a part time office job, plus 2 kids and a dog. I keep lists of to -dos but to be honest, it seems like I end up consulting these things less and remember things in my head. When I come up with ideas or things to do, I am not sure where to add them. I have a palm that I synch with my outlook but find I am not always in front of my computer. What are your tricks? Do you operate from day to day on an organic level or are you strict with your schedule? I love the idea of scheduling me time - and my husband gives me Sat morns off to do my own thing.

A: this is such a valuable question and definitely podcast worthy, too! i'll put together a podcast on this issue as i know many hip tranquil chick's wonder the same things. i'm a paper girl and a huge proponent of planner pads. i categorize my four businesses at the top of the week and write out to-dos. on the right side of the pad i have a list for personal (ex. reline winter coat, organize finances in quicken) and names of people i have meetings scheduled with and an outline of discussion points. under the to-dos are priorities for each day, and under to-dos are appointments. this 3-tier system created by planner pad (i sound like a sales person for them but i promise i'm not - just in love with how it has organized my crazy life) allows me to see my entire week at a glance. i carry over the many to-dos that aren't captured one week into the next every sunday evening. at that time i reflect on the week ahead, have a good snapshot of what it will look like, schedule in yoga classes to take (if they aren't regular weekly ones that are staples on the calendar), and try to carve out some blank space.

after weekends of travel, the following week (such as this past one) doesn't allow for much blank space so i try to ensure the following week does. i plan far in advance by signing up for workshops, retreats, classes, etc. as soon as i hear about them. my next free weekend is mid-june and i've just set up a 3-generation with reunion with my mom and gramma. having things like this on my calendar helps me stay focused. i also have a pad of post-its by my bed to capture those early morning or late night thoughts/ideas and carry around a small pink notebook with me at all times to do the same.

i'm not organic unless i have a bit of blank space in my calender (like this morning - i wrote in my journal, e-mailed, planned next week, showered, and ate breakfast all at my own pace over 2.5 hours). otherwise i'm quite regimented due to classes to teach, meetings to attend, and phone calls to take. for example, yesterday i left the pink palace at 10:30 to volunteer and returned home at 9:30 after a full day of teaching, meetings, calls, podcasting, business lunch, etc.

the key is to create a system that works for you. you don't need to invest in an expensive product. reading about the topic, taking a workshop on organizing/prioritizng/time management is a great idea, asking for suggestions from friends and mentors who have a lot on their plates, and implementing new systems slowly are the best ways to get it all together. having all the data in one place helps keep me on my toes. other suggestions, hip tranquil chicks?

naive to mindful

due to a crazy past two days, i haven't carved out the time to write. i've barely done my morning journal writing, although i have been getting up much earlier than normal. you ever have that feeling when you sit down to write and nothing is bubbling up? i don't think i can claim writer's block considering it's only been two days, but i'm finding the same dilemma with my journal.

today in journal class, i brought up this question - do others find that their attention to their journal waxes and wanes. some people looked at me in horror, the instructor said "yes!"

since i've been with beau, i'm not that joined-at-the-hip-to-my-journal girl i once was. during painful relationship periods, i've carried the little booger around with me everywhere as it was my therapist and way to process. now i do a lot of that processing through beau. however, i still want a strong relationship with my journal. i want us to be closer, more intimate.

our teacher encouraged us to write two half page stories about our day and to illustrate the bottom half. this should be a fun exercise as my journal writing can get rut-like. today i feel . . . i wish i . . . why blah blah blah. i really want this to change. he encouraged us to go from naive to mindful. genius! i want to do that in ALL aspects of my life. how can we go deeper? how can we move beyond "hi, how are you?" to really get to know someone? this exploration and excavation is exciting and scary.

i want to continue the journey from naive to mindful on the mat and in my journal. anyone want to join me?

hip tranquil chick chariTea soiree in CA

back from puerto rico and watching the snow fall outside. whew, what shifts in temperature. brrrrr. in meetings and class from 10am to 10pm so i'm pooped. but, before i hit the bathtub filled with a karma bath bomb and dash off to bed, i wanted to share some fabulous news on a soiree that was hosted yesterday in southern california. thank you, kenya et al, for sharing the hip tranquil chick fun.

vancouver girls!

had to get one last "hit" of wifi before heading to the airport. yep, i have a problem. anyway, came across something i wanted to share. a note in craig's list to host a chariTea in vancouver! northwest girls, gather!

many of you are requesting ways to connect with other hip tranquil chicks and i'm exploring some fun tech-savvy options. however, posting on craig's list or upcoming.org is a great way to get started on your own to find local like-minded fabulous women! if you let me know about it, i'm happy to post it on the blog.

thanks to each of you for resonating with the hip and tranquil lifestyle. i hope your week is off to a fabulous start. take a moment to breathe, share your stream of consciousness thoughts in your journal, do some gentle chair yoga, and give someone a compliment.

p.s. hip tranquil chick recommended at crazy wisdom bookstore!

i love louis

ok, one more photo. i can't wait to see my little louis tomorrow night. as soon as we get off that plane we're heading straight to pick him up.

here we are in whistler after the sleigh ride (yep, see the look of shock in his eyes). can you stand how darling he is?

since we've been away, every few hours i turn to beau and ask, "i wonder what louis is doing?" then we call his poor sitters. neurotic, noooooooo.

super bowl smuper bowl

today was phenomenal as we hit the only tropical forest in the US national forest system - el yunque. muy bonita! we hiked to some gorgeous falls and breathed in the delicious air.

i've included two photos of my puerto rican adventure - one of the lovely wedding cake and another of me shopping in old san juan. the wedding cake was soooo gorgeous that i had to snap a shot and beau took this candid of me shopping away in this ultra european district of puerto rico.

after we returned from our excursion today, i spent 3 hours drafting long overdue e-mails as i had accumulated quite a backlog (my apologies). beau watched that game with some ball that peeps were all excited about while i awaited the always fab performance by prince (ok, he probably needs no link but i thought you would enjoy the photos). oh, and by the way, if you haven't seen him in concert yet, you must. his passion brings tears to my eyes every time as he is a very impressive performer who connects beautifully with his audience.

tomorow we return to dc and i'm homebound until i lead our annual spring blossom retreat the first weekend of march. it's been a fun journey here in puerto rico and i'm very enamored with this island of enchantment (that's what their license plates say) where everyone (especially boys) have impressively groomed eyebrows. come here, you'll immediately see what i mean. ciao for now!

hip tranquil chick podcast #69: staying healthy

click play to hear this episode... or click here to listen to older shows!

Welcome to the 69th edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat. Pre-produced from the Pink Palace in DC while I sun in Puerto Rico.

Todays podcast is a sidestep from the remaining 2 book chapters to address staying healthy during this cold-infested season, topped of a pose of the podcast, a look of the podcast, insights on upcoming events, and groovy podsafe music! View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

Thank you for all your support were the #8 self-help podcast in iTunes! Its based on new subscribers so welcome to our newbies if you like the show tell your girlfriends.

Stay/Get Healthy Tips
1. Stay hydrated
2. Avoid toxic people and environments
3. Eat well colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains
4. Take your multi vitamin
5. Wash your hands purell
6. Wear your sunscreen
7. Roll out your yoga mat
8. Bundle up
9. Avoid smoking and environments with second-hand smoking
10. Get lots of rest at 65-70 degrees

Pose of the Podcast: Seated twist and more for colds!

Look of the Podcast: Pink Gardenia ballet wrap and skirt pant - all available at TranquiliT.com.

Haute Stuff Shoppe: Shop online for the book, CD, leopard print scarf, or crystal tee.

Soirees, Chats & Booksignings & Retreats: Join us for a three-week Inner Chic teleclass focused on Chapters 4-6 (Vision, Self-Care, Creativity) from Hip Tranquil Chick. Each one-hour session will include a musing by Kimberly on the chapter, OMwork and downloadable worksheets to do in between the sessions, a study buddy, and discussion time. The fun begins Monday, February 19 and continues through Monday, March 5 from 8-9pm EST. $65. Or add on a boost for a 1-hour 1:1 mentoring session with Kimberly for $150 (includes teleclass series & mentoring for a $40 savings). To reserve your spot, click here. Space is limited to ensure ample discussion time.

Host a Hip Tranquil Chick Signature ChariTea Soiree! The downloadable PDF has is a toolkit for leading a hip and tranquil book club! All hip tranquil chicks who agree to host a soiree in 2007 will be sent a lovely leopard-print headband and scarf as a host gift, while they remain in stock.

Local gals come out for a booksigning February 21 in Crystal City, VA. Details at hiptranquilchick.com.

New York Launch Party on Thursday, March 8 at Lolita. Details at hiptranquilchick.com.

Im heading to Denver in April to lead workshops and host a book signing. Details are here!

Escape with me and like-minded women at our first HTC retreat in upstate NY in June and our first international excursion in Costa Rica in September. Details at hiptranquilchick.com.

Au Revoir: share your hip tranquil chickness with me, request show ideas, or pass along feedback by e-mailing me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com. A reminder that were on MySpace and Frappr, so please connect with the community virtually there, too!

Have a burning question that youd like hip and tranquil feedback on? E-mail me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com to have it featured and answered in our dear hip tranquil chick segment!

To close out the show, were playing podsafe music by new and independent artists from MySpace.com. Todays selection is Mind Field by DJ Blue. You can learn more this week's featured artist, including how to get more of DJ Blue's music at myspace.com/djblue3210.

Thanks for joining me for the 69th edition of the HTC podcast. Namaste.

You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes!

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greetings from the wedding

considering everything runs on island time and i'm not used to such a concept, i'm taking full advantage of all down time by carrying my laptop and book whereever i go. sure it gets a little heavy, but it's so fun to stay connected rather than twiddle my thumbs. considering the wedding starts in 8 minutes, i'm going to dash off but wanted to say a quick hello and let you know that a fun prerecorded podcast is coming tomorrow - tips on staying healthy. not hard to do in glorious 85 degree weather, but quite tricky in our crazy cold weather back home. i hope you're all having a delightful weekend - doing some reading, maybe a little writing, and definitely some resting.

if you listened to the teleclass on monday, i'd love to hear if you've taken any of the action steps we discussed. let me know. life is filled with one baby action step after another. besos, kimberly

greetings from puerto rico

what a fabulous place! i am in love with the balmy climate, passionate people, use of the US dollar (no currency exchange), cell phone accessibility, and quick jaunt from DC. after only four hours of sleep, we boarded a tres bumpy 3+ hour flight to this beautiful island, and i've so enjoyed exploring.

today i got to take a fabulous yoga class at it's yoga puerto rico. with only five minutes to spare, i hopped in a cab with a driver who was not familiar with the street the studio was on. my pulse went up as i was deeply in need of a dose of tranquility (as if this fabulous island isn't enough). finally, after asking numerous bystanders on the street, we found it. i jumped up the stairs and found a locked door. as i continued to pull on it and felt tears coming on, the teacher took pity on me and let me in. i wanted to hug her but she didn't skip a beat with her delightful vinyasa class.

we also toured old san juan and i got some swanky black patent pumas - even wore them to tonight's rehearsal dinner. not terribly appropriate but i put my stillettos in my bag when i realized we had a walk to the restaurant, doned the pumas, and couldn't bear to take them off.

tomorrow's the wedding, some poolside time, and some reading. bought (yep, shocker) a new book at the dc airport. what's a girl to do when the flight is delayed for an hour? i got julia cameron's memoir - floor sample. this woman is phenomenal and what a story thus far!

i hope you're finding a dose of tranquility in the launch of your weekend.

puerto rico bound

hola! i'm delighted to share that i've prerecorded this weekend's podcast as beau and i are dashing off to puerto rico for a wedding tomorrow. i've never been to puerto rico and hear such phenomenal things about it AND i can practice my oh-so-sad spanglish. i took 4 years in high school and college, but i still sound like a four-year-old. "A for effort," i like to say!

today was a big step for TranquiliT clothing line - we moved our inventory out of my new partner's abode and into rented space. woo-hoo. as we were packing up my 1992 jeep with our goods, she asked me if i thought martha stewart started this way. we got a chuckle as we drove around with the hatch open and shelves sticking out. onward and upward.

this clothing line is like a little baby of mine. i started it in 2002 with t-shirts and yoga pants, now we've grown into an eco-friendly lifestyle line and i live in it. always on the look out for cool, new, versatile ideas, i recently came across normal kamali's versatile line in spiegel and LOVE it. the fabric is timeless for travel (not as fabulous as bamboo) and her designs are inspirational. as i search for the perfect all-in-one piece to design for TranquiliT, i'm enamored with this one. she's a genius!

tonight we dropped baby pug off at "camp" (aka dear friends) for the weekend and it was so sad. how can we be so attached to these little beings with fur? i can't wait to pick the little booger up monday night as soon as we leave the airport! however, i must confess that my two cats, bonnard and matisse, appear delighted to have free reign of the pink palace.

we hope to have internet access while away so i'll be sure to share my adventures in puerto rico. since beau has numerous obligations being in the wedding party, i plan to do a lot of sun soaking, yoga, writing, and reading. this is our last bit of travel until the spring blossom retreat early march. although i love jet setting as much as you, it always feels good to come home. hasta luego, mi amor.