Why We Travel

You're jolted out of your sleep. The rusty cargo van, which has been converted into a city bus is airborne. There's a collective gasp. You claw for the seat in front of you. The van lands hard and skids to a stop. Even though it's dark, even though there are no lights, you can make out the faint wisps of smoke rising from the rear of the van. There is a commotion. Dialects you can't decipher circle around you. Your two friends, who were seated in front of you, motion for you to get up. You grab for each other as people push and shove their way out of the burning cramped space. You notice your foot is bleeding as you step into the chilly night. Bags are being thrown from the smoking vehicle. You grab yours and blink disoriented at the sky above- Orion's belt, so close, it seems you could be lassoed away. Your friends are grabbing you, you're brought back. You watch as the other passengers scatter and disappear between blades of tall grass, off into the night. There will be no rescue van, panic sets in. You're a two hour drive from your destination. At least, you tell each other, at least you're together. Mosquitoes hover, the high pitched wine is driving you mad. You curse yourself for not taking your malaria medication. On the edge of the road, thumbs in the air, two Americans and a Canadian are stranded in rural Mozambique.

It is impossible to control our experiences on the road. Travel is a colossal enigma, perhaps that, in and of itself, is its major lure. We are forced to live in the moment, to bravely face the present with a fresh perspective. Romantic at times, often exciting, travel is rarely an immaculate and effortless path; it can be dangerous, downright frightening, yet off we go, pushing the boundaries of our comfort zones, the safety of the familiar, the ease of our loved ones and friends. Off we go into the great unknown, and why?

We travel to understand

We travel to taste

We travel to be moved

We travel to help

We travel to connect

We travel for the momentos

We travel to get lost, if only for a little while

We travel to be found

We travel to try new things

We travel to turn the faces of strangers into the faces of friends

We travel so that we can arm ourselves with memories, recollections that grow more beautiful and layered with time.

You pace back and forth, breath escaping in white clouds. You have to go to the bathroom. Your friend Tamika is seated on her suitcase, she looks defeated, close to tears.  To your right, your friend Lynne speaks with the driver in fluent Portuguese. Bell frogs color the night with their chimes. You can do nothing but wait. Wait for daylight, wait for another bus, a passing car, wait to be eaten alive by mosquitoes or wild dogs- wait.

At last, a set of headlights approach, Tamika jumps up extending her thumb. You join her with Lynne close behind. A large black Escalade rolls to a cautious stop. The driver, a young South African man, offers heartily to drop you home, it's on the way after all. Jumping from the SUV, he places your bags in the trunk.

Two girls and a guy are inside. They make room for you, offer everyone a Hansa beer. You sink into the incredibly plush white leather seats. The windows are down, the air  sweet and crisp. Techno music pulses from the speakers.

The two hours with your new friends pass quickly. Before you know it, you're dragging your suitcase down the old familiar path home. Weary, but upbeat, you're ready for your next weekend trip, perhaps Swaziland, Johannesburg, Nelspruit, or Chimoio?

What unexpected surprises have you encountered on the road?

SUBSCRIBE to Sojourner's Sojourns

Natural Oasis Vegan Ethiopian Buffet

The aroma of Berbere is heavy in the air. It is a modest space, tables, chairs, a buffet table.

On the wall, Ethipian prints have been hung and framed. Couples, friends, sit quietly as they enjoy the delicious food.

This is my first Ethiopian Buffet. The food, is vegan, satvic, delicious. The food is local and organic. Hot injera is folded in a basket beneath a cloth napkin. It is a simple spread. Rice that looks to be seasoned with saffron, collard greens, lentils, cabbage and beets.

Despite the simplicity, the buffet is aromatic, complex.

I pull apart the spongy injera bread and scoop up a pinch of Gomen (collard greens). I scoop and scoop, each bite is refreshingly mild, balanced and mysteriously savory. Delicious.

Sated, I lean back watching Ohm tinker away at the piano lining the far wall. Natural Oasis is a welcoming tot friendly establishment. One of the bonuses when it comes to vegetarian Ethiopian food, is that it is baby friendly. The food at Natural Oasis it is not spicy, making the perfect meal for beginning and emerging eaters.

Natural Oasis is so much more than a restaurant, it’s a community wellness center. Just through the front doors, you’ll find a herb shop, where you can pick up Ayurvedic products, tinctures, teas, and other wellness products.

Upstairs, you can receive Ayurvedic treatments, take a Kundalini Yoga class, get a massage, and be treated with herbal medicine.

Rochester, New York is a suburban city, with its fair share of chain restaurants and food options, but if you know where to look, you’ll find a vast and diverse selection of local restaurants and alternative offerings. If you’ve never had Ethiopian food before and you’re curious, go to Natural Oasis. If you’re a vegetarian or a vegan in search of a new place to eat, go to Natural Oasis. If you love Ethiopian food, but always order the same items on the menu (guilty as charged), try the buffet at Natural Oasis and feel free to explore. If you live in or are passing through the Rochester area and are in search of a healthy plate of food from a locally owned establishment, go, go, go, to Natural Oasis.

Natural Oasis’ Vegan Ethiopian Buffet is open Monday through Saturday from 1pm-4pm and 5pm-8pm.

Are there hidden health food or Ethnic restaurants in your neighborhood that you’d like to shout out? Let us know about them in the comments section!

Natural Oasis Vegetarian and Ethiopian Cuisine

288 Monroe Ave (near Alexander Street)

Rochester, NY 14607

(585) 325-1831

SUBSCRIBE to Sojourner's Sojourns

A Riotous Good Time at the National Museum of Play

The moment, we stepped through the glass doors, he was off.

Flip-clop flip-clop, sticky fingers and a nose pressed against a 1,700 gallon aquarium.

Flip-clop, flip-clop, climbing, problem solving, exploring, a toddler sized puzzle.

“Wow!”

Eyes wide, finger pointing, at a wide mouthed, wild eyed, golden pony aboard a Victorian carousel.

Ohm moved non-stop for over three hours. He explored through his nap, and played through lunch.

The National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York is an extreme kiddie wonderland.

On a recent visit home, after dragging my poor 20 month old all over the Rochester/Buffalo region to visit relatives, old friends from high school and my best college buddies, I made sure to plan a special trip for Ohm. I guess I shouldn’t say plan. I didn’t actually have to do anything except show up, pay the admission fee and ta-da! The perfect afternoon found us.

I’d heard people sing the praises of the National Museum of Play, I’d listened to the proclamations of greatness, but I honestly wasn’t expecting much more than a few brightly colored rooms of engaging fun to fill the space before nap-time.

I stand corrected.

Rochester’s National Museum of Play is a world class museum, with more nooks and crannies and educational programs to experience than one has time to explore during one visit.

Priding itself as being the only collections-based museum in the world dedicated entirely to play. The National Museum of Play is massive. After three hours and consequently missing nap-time, we only saw about a quarter of the offerings.

Full of stimulating hands-on exhibits, Ohm was off and engaged from the onset. Wiggling out of my hand, he ran ahead of me, capitalizing on every opportunity to twist,  turn, press buttons, and climb anything and everything.

We ducked into toddler playrooms, where he socialized with the other kiddies and played dress-up.

Attracted like a moth to the shiny golden ponies, we took a turn on the beautiful working carousel from 1918.

It was all-aboard, as we chugged along the track through a simulated village on the kiddie passenger train.

There were science displays, collections of old fashioned teddy bears and dolls. There were tea-party sets and pianos to play.

The National Museum of Play is truly an experience. Home to the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of dolls, toys and games, one can enjoy a life-sized doll house then walk down memory lane at a 1980’s style arcade full of vintage video games.

This is a place to  build memories.

We didn’t make it to the indoor butterfly garden, or to the life sized Bernstein Bears exhibit, or to the American Comic Book Heroes display. There just wasn’t enough time.

We did make it to the life sized Sesame Street exhibit, featuring the characters, scenes and experiences from the show.

Ohm got to meet his best friend Elmo, drove Cookie Monster around in a taxi and screamed in mortal fear at a ten foot tall big bird (those eyes were creepy).

We played supermarket in the life-sized simulated Wegmans Supermarket, where kids push mini carts down tiny isles, where they can grab their favorite food. The piece de resistance, is when they get to send their purchases down a conveyer belt where they can scan and bag their items. Ohm was focused. When he realized it was time to leave, he almost had a meltdown. I had to distract and trick him to get him to leave mini-supermarket land.

Luckily there are plenty of distractions. 

Story Time is announced over an intercom and occurs several times a day.

A 1950’s style dinner near the lobby serves up tasty soda shop style snacks and meals.

Ohm and I had a ridiculously good time at the National Museum of Play. If you live near the Rochester, New York area or are traveling through with a child, this is a stop you MUST make.

The National Museum of Play

One Manhattan Square

Rochester, NY 14607

585-263-2700

Monday–Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Friday & Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

Age 2 and older: $13

Under age 2: FREE

Have you visited the National Museum of Play? What did you think?

SUBSCRIBE to Sojourner's Sojourns

Best Holistic Bookstores and Shops NYC

 

Last week, a Reiki client of mine who recently moved to New York from the Bay Area voiced frustration over trying to locate a good holistic store in her neighborhood.

"All I want are some essential oils, crystals and books."

I could empathize with her frustrations. It took me several years in New York to form relationships with my favorite holistic and spiritual shops. It was also much easier in 2001, a time when there seemed to me a lot more independent spiritual shops in the city and surrounding areas. From 2001 to 2013, four of my favorites closed down.

So where is one to go?

While I agree, that New York is not as abundant as it could be with holistic and spiritual shops, bookstores and herb shops, there is definitely a spiritual and holistic sub-culture and a few great stores that cater to it.

While working with my clients, I am regularly asked about places to buy books, mala beads, sage, meditation cd's, etc. This post is my answer to these questions.

Here are my favorites:

The Herb Shoppe Brooklyn

394 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217

(718) 422-7981

You'll find row upon row of medicinal herbs, tea infusions and spices at Brooklyn's charming little gem, the Herb Shoppe. I love this place! They have a great selection of tinctures, salves and essential oils as well and bonus points, there is a naturopathic doctor on hand to answer questions.

Namaste Bookstore

2 W 14th St  New York, NY 10011

(212) 645-0141

One could get lost in Namaste for a very long time, a very, very long time indeed. It is hard to have a single focus when you enter Namaste because there is just so much to experience. Namaste has an extensive book collection, one of the best in the city as far as holistic and spiritual books are concerned. Also extensive, is their crystal collection, jewelry selection, and menagerie of altar worthy statues and carvings.

The New York Open Center Bookstore

22 East 30th Street, New York, NY 10016

212-219-2527 ext. 100.

The New York Open Center, in and of itself is a magnificent resource. Its bookstore is a wonderful resource as well. The New York Open Center Bookstore has a great selection of books. You'll also find a variety of goodies here from fragrance oils, reiki candles, incense, sage and mala beads.

Quest Bookshop

240 E 53rd St  New York, NY 10022

(212) 758-5521

Quest hosts an extensive collection of books. I love the quaint feel. This is another store where you could easily spend hours and not realize how much time has elapsed. In addition to a large variety of books, Quest sells candles, essential oils, crystals and incense.

*Also, Botanicas, depending on your neighborhood, can prove to be phenomenal holistic resources.

SUBSCRIBE to Sojourner's Sojourns

Madiba Restaurant in Ft. Greene, Brooklyn brings the tastes and sounds of South Africa to New York!

Peri-peri prawns, roti, and shima.

Whenever I miss the flavors and sounds from the “good ole’ days” in Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland, I take myself to Ft. Greene, Brooklyn’s Madiba Restaurant.

Named after Nelson Mandela, Madiba is a portal from Brooklyn to South Africa. Specializing in South African cuisine with all of its unique influences from traditional Zulu dishes like Uputhu/Pap (boiled ground cornmeal with tomato-onion gravy) to Voortrekker inspired dishes like Boerwors Roll (herbed beef sausage with gravy on a hot dog bun) and Indian inspired dishes featuring an assorted variety of succulent curries and chutney, Madiba takes me on a journey of the senses each time I step inside. Some of the dishes draw inspiration from the tastes of Mozambique (South Africa’s next door neighbor). I can honestly say that I have never had a bad meal here. Never!

The food is always fresh, all-natural and served up gourmet style. Vegetarians and vegans rejoice, there are plenty of options for you. If you come for brunch, the coffee is excellent- nice and rich. If you come for dinner, Madiba boasts an extensive South African wine list, and they even import my favorite liquor- Amarula!

I love the attentive yet slow service. You are not rushed in Madiba, one can enjoy a slow brunch or a slow dinner. You’re encouraged to taste your food, draw energy from the atmosphere and enjoy the people in your company.

At Madiba there is an immaculate attention to detail. The décor is distinctly reminiscent of South Africa, much of the music played is African.

One can even purchase South African goodies from the shop at the front of the store. The selection of quirky imports brings me back to my days in Mozambique (much of the food in Mozambique was imported from South Africa) from the Jungle Oats Oatmeal, that I ate for breakfast to the Ramany Cream biscuits I splurged on every pay-day, to the Ceres boxed juice that kept me going beneath the hot sun; Madiba brings the tastes, sounds and charms of Southern Africa to Ft. Greene, Brooklyn.

For a refreshing spin on breakfast, try Madiba’s Sunday Brunch, which starts at ten am.

Okay Sojourner, so what are you getting out of this promotion? Nothing! Just the satisfaction of sharing one of my favorite Brooklyn restaurants with you, my readers.

I hope you get to experience Madiba. I know you'll enjoy it as much as I do.

Madiba

195 Dekalb Ave

Brooklyn, NY 11205

Do you have a favorite restaurant that reminds you of a place you've traveled?

SUBSCRIBE to Sojourner's Sojourns

My Unlikely Introduction to Shea Butter at the Cape Coast Castle

My Unlikely Introduction to Shea Butter at the Cape Coast Castle

"So-jah!"

I glanced up from my orange Fanta. I had just become used to the fact that my name, when spoken, sounded like soldier.

Seeing no-one in my immediate space, I continued to nurse my soda. Seated at the Cape Coast Cafe, I had the perfect view. I watched the waves of the Atlantic crash against the brown boulders that encircled the Cape Coast Castle. Gray tufts of sea mist rose as a result of the spectacle. The salt of the ocean lingered on my lips. My book was purposely left behind, I promised myself I would watch, listen and take in this experience my first experience of Africa, traveling solo in Ghana, and accepting without distraction the beauty around me.

"So-jah!" I heard it again. Closer this time. Turning my back to the Atlantic, I spotted a remotely familiar face in this new and still foreign space.

"Can I sit?"

I shifted nervously trying to recall his name, place his face. He made himself comfortable before I had the time to reply.

"You look well So-jah. Ghana is agreeing with you."

"Thank you."

I searched my head for his name. The details were filling in slowly. He was a drummer, a Rastafarian, we'd met before here at the castle. He owned a shop with his brothers. They sold drums, gave drumming and dance lessons mostly to British and French tourists. We'd talked a few weeks ago when I visited the castle to buy souvenirs after work with some of the other volunteers at the orphanage. He asked me where I was from, grew excited when I said New York. He had just been there, had some cousins and a favorite uncle who lived in the Bronx. We talked about being vegetarians, about cooking with coconut oil. How could I have forgotten, it had only been about two weeks ago. He, like most of the people I'd encountered in Ghana remembered my name, looked me in the eyes with a warm smile while addressing me by name. I, like many Americans, like many Westerners, let names roll in one ear and out the other, became embarrassed and apologetic when confronted by my instinctive and dismissive behavior.

"I'm so sorry," I finally managed. "What is your name again?"

His name was Elaji. He lived in town. He was the youngest of seven siblings, four boys and two girls. His mother and grandmother owned the shop next to his. His father was from Burkina Faso.

We began to talk. Elaji ordered a bottled water. I had another Fanta. The waves crashed. Flies buzzed. Skinny stray dogs settled at our feet.

"How is business?" I asked.

The long breaks in our conversation unnerved me.

"Business for me is very good. " Elaji smiled.

His teeth were pointy. He slightly resembled a fox.

"So many English this time of year. They all want lessons. We have drumming and dance circles when the moon is full. You should come, they're here in front of the castle." He pointed with his water bottle to the open space before the castle.

"I'm not much of a dancer, but I'll come. I'd love to watch."

"You'll watch, but then you'll dance. You won't be able to stop yourself."

A hearty chuckle escaped my gut as I imagined myself gyrating and spastic, dressed in kente cloth, backlit by the glow of the full moon. It wasn't a pretty vision.

"I want to show you something." Elaji grew earnest.

"Yes?"

"Your face," he reached forward and touched my nose causing me to recoil alarmed.

"I"m sorry. Did that hurt?"

"No, I'm sorry. No, you didn't hurt me."

"I was saying your face is too dry. Your skin is peeling."

I gaped at his blunt observation.I touched my nose.

"I'm peeling because I lost my sunscreen in Accra before I came here and I haven't been able to find any more."

"Sunscreen?" Elaji's face wrinkled.

"You know, cream that protects your face and skin from the sun."

"That's what I want to show you." Elaji was all smiles. "My mother's shop has the cream for your face. Shea butter. In Ghana, we use Shea butter."

"Shea butter? I can't put shea butter on my face?"

"Of course. Why not?"

"It's too heavy. My skin will break-out."

"You don't have to worry about that. Shea butter removes blemishes."

"But it's greasy."

"Not at all."

"No, it's definitely greasy."

"Come, lets go to my mom's shop."

Skeptically, I followed Elaji's quick gait across the cobblestone road, through the gates of the Cape Coast Castle and into the shady courtyard that housed the artisan shops. I was led by hand into a small dimly lit nook. The three walls were lined with rickety shelves and stacked high with tubs of white, yellow and brown.

An attractive dark-skinned woman, popped out from behind a pile of cardboard boxes. She moved quickly, stepping forward and offering a greeting I didn't understand.

"Mama Sophia." Elaji proudly announced wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

I smiled. Mama Sophia wrapped me in a warm hug. She was simply stunning. Surprisingly petite, I was drawn in by her bright eyes and shining skin. She couldn't have been more than five feet tall. Her eyes danced with childlike joy.

Elaji exchanged slow words with his mother in Fante as she nodded and clicked her tongue in my direction.

"Sit." Sophia led me to a stool in the center of the room.

She had a metal basin of water. Using a cloth, she wiped at my face. I gripped the edge of my stool. Elaji appeared cradling a marble sized amber ball.

"This is black soap. It's good for your skin. You should use this. It works very well."

Before I had time to respond, Sophia was rubbing the black soap in enthusiastic circles around my face. She rinsed the suds then patted my skin dry with a towel.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Elaji was beaming.

It did feel good. My skin, heavy with humidity and sweat was breathing. It felt alive and light.

"Close your eyes." Elaji said, motioning to Sophia.

I did what I was told. Shea butter was massaged into my face under the direction of Sophia's firm hands. When she finished, I ran my fingertips across my forehead, swept them down my right cheek. My face wasn't greasy. My skin wasn't sticky, or heavy, it didn't feel clogged.

I watched for hours as Sophia packaged tubs of Shea butter, some prepared with a turmeric mixture others pure. Elaji translated as I fired away with questions. I stayed until the shop closed and left that evening with a tub of shea butter and a tub of black soap.

Figuring I had nothing to loose, I set whatever facial cleanser I brought with me aside and began my black soap and shea butter regimen.

I stopped peeling and didn't burn as badly. I didn't experience a single nasty blemish. Shea butter provided a layer of protection beneath the harsh Ghanaian sun.

I visited Mamma Sophia almost every day from that point forward. My serendipitous and unlikely introduction to Shea butter marked the beginning of my shift towards all natural and organic bath and body products and eventually fueled Touch of Ohm.

What discoveries have you happened upon on your travels?

SUBSCRIBE to Sojourner's Sojourns