DIY Shea Based Shaving Cream

Psst... I know a secret. I know a way to deep condition your skin, exfoliate and discourage ingrown hairs and razor bumps while you shave.

Are you ready?

Shea Shaving Cream

This simple DIY Shea Based Shaving Cream is inexpensive and simple to make. It's suitable for all of your shaving needs, from face to legs and everywhere in between. Your skin will feel fresh, conditioned and soft after shaving.

It's so easy!

Here's what you'll need:

1/3 cup shea buter

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons jojoba oil

10 drops essential oil (whatever scent floats your boat)

1/4 teaspoon vitamin E

1 tablespoon baking soda

Directions:

Melt the shea butter and olive oil together over low heat in a double boiler. Once liquid, add the jojoba oil, vitamin E oil and essential oils.

Using a hand blender on a low setting, combine the ingredients and refrigerate until it just begins to set.

Remove from the refrigerator and sprinkle the baking soda over the top. Blend once more with the hand blender until it becomes the consistency of frosting.

Ta-da!

For more DIY natural skin care ideas, check out my latest book Natural Beauty from the Outside In, where you’ll find 70 Ayurveda inspired hair and skin care recipes.

DIY Beard Refresher

Shea Butter Beard Refresher

Finally, a DIY natural recipe just for the men out there.

Just as the hair on our head enjoys conditioner, the hair on one's face deserves some love too.

Woodsy and moisturizing, this DIY Beard Refresher will leave your facial locks soft and nourished.

Get ready to be nuzzled and snuggled. Don't be surprised if you're suddenly the life of the party.

Here's What to Do:

You'll need-

1/4 cup shea butter

1/8 cup sweet almond oil

1 tablespoon jojoba oil

5 drops cedarwood essential oil

5 drops sandalwood essential oil

3 drops vetiver essential oil

In a double boiler or in a pyrex glass placed into a pan filled with about an inch of boiling water, melt the shea butter to a liquid.

Combine the liquid shea butter, the jojoba oil, the sweet almond oil, and the drops of essential oil into your container. Fasten the top and shake vigorously until well blended.

Refrigerate for twenty minutes until set then return to room temperature.

A pea sized amount, rubbed on the palms and then smoothed over a beard will make the skin beneath silky smooth and will condition and lightly scent even the grungiest of beards.

This formula also helps protect against ingrown hairs- BONUS!

For more DIY natural skin care ideas, check out my latest book Natural Beauty from the Outside In, where you’ll find 70 Ayurveda inspired hair and skin care recipes.

Montauk, where the land ends

Past the congested LIE afternoon truck traffic to where the road widens, canopied in fresh green, then thins into a lighter green. Past Fire Island, sprawling vineyards and the narrow manicured single lane boutique studded streets of the Hamptons. Up narrow winding roads, dense with green, leading seemingly nowhere, you'll stumble across Montauk, a place where the land ends. 

I'm not even certain how it began. We were watching a children's program about a lighthouse and Ohm developed a lighthouse curiosity. Then the weather in New York surprised us all and gave way to breezy summer temperatures. The perfect conditions were there for a day trip to Montauk, Long Island.

From New York City, Montauk makes a lovely day trip, city escape.

We left around ten in the morning. Working in the opposite direction of traffic, and traveling one week before the Memorial weekend madness, the road was essentially ours. And what a scenic drive it is!

The Montauk Lighthouse and museum was our first stop. Ohm was too little (by an inch) to climb to the top and since I had baby Jai strapped to me in a carrier, we were all prevented from climbing to the top of the lighthouse (booh!).

The museum was interesting. The Montauk Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse in New York. Originally commissioned by General George Washington himself, the lighthouse was where the famed slave ship Amistad once docked and is said to be haunted by several spirits.

History and hauntings aside, it's just a remarkably beautiful space and makes for a quintessentially romantic destination. The lighthouse, land's dramatic end, is an experience. The rocky coastline below, is perfect for walking, meditating, and taking in the noisy fragrant waves. We collected rocks, watched the waves splutter over pebbles and simply did nothing.

If you're so inclined, there are bike trails and footpaths for jogging and hiking. You will also find lookout points complete with porch style swings for two and a restaurant in the vicinity.  The Montauk lighthouse/museum and surrounding area is such a pleasant escape.

After a long late morning/early afternoon by the lighthouse, we decided to head into town for lunch.

Montauk has a small and very cute main drag with shops, restaurants and cafes. We stopped at Naturally Good for lunch, it was amazing. We decided on a fresh organic green juice and a vegetarian Sloppy Joe comprised of perfectly seasoned French lentils on sprouted grain bread. The seating outdoors gave us a front seat view of the wonderful activity outside- people walking dogs, elegant women in flowing kaftans and straw sunhats, mothers pushing strollers, everyone laughing, giddy, with the promise of a perfect beach day. And it was so perfect!

Before heading home, we stopped at Kirk beach. There is a beach beneath the lighthouse, but it's rocky and not suitable for swimming, Kirk beach, off of the main strip, was light, sandy and expansive. Calm and secluded (only because the official season was a week away), Kirk beach, had free parking, baby fine sand, and was clean to perfection. Unfortunately the water was ICE COLD! We could only stand to dip our toes in. Swimming aside, Kirk beach was lovely.

Montauk, where the land ends, is the perfect NYC city escape and makes for an idyllic ocean side retreat.

The Brooklyn Botanic Gardens: Where Beautiful Purple Things Grow!

Tilting my head back, eyes floating upwards, willowy, purple fingers cascade around me. Wisteria everywhere!

Hanging from trees, climbing up walls, swaying gracefully - everywhere.

It is a sight to behold.

On this perfectly perfect spring day, there is no place I'd rather be than strolling the beautifully manicured paths of the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, where beautiful purple things grow.

As far as botanical gardens go, this one is one of the best!

Down the stairs, past the gurgling fountain, to the left, we come across fragrant lilacs.

The lilacs are a favorite of mine. I'm from Rochester- Lilac City. The smell, the clusters of tiny star shaped flowers, transport me.

In fact, when it comes to flowers, the purple ones grab my attention. I can't say why. Purple is not my favorite color.

When it comes to flowers though, I love wisteria, lilacs, irises, and violets- vibrant purple wonders.

The Brooklyn Botanic Gardens is full of such wonders and many more.

Now that the weather in New York is fully cooperating, I've pledged to take my boys on a new adventure everyday. It's been fun. It's been exhausting. It's been educational. I live for these mini-adventures.

The Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, which is FREE on Tuesdays, is the perfect place let an inquisitive toddler roam and romp.

Ohm ran and ran and ran. We compared different flowers. Learned the names of different trees. We spotted robins and butterflies and fuzzy bumblebees. We learned about the different parts of the flower. He threw rocks into a stream. Threw coins into a fountain. Basically, he had a good old fashion self-made great time in nature!

We weren't the only ones enjoying the day. The gardens were full of elderly couples strolling arm and arm, young couples stealing affectionate kisses on benches, mothers bouncing babies, photographers snapping pictures, bird watchers crouching with binoculars and tourists singing a symphony of languages.

One could spend the better part of a spring day getting lost in the romantic Brooklyn Botanic Gardens taking in all of the beautiful purple things.

The Brooklyn Botanic Gardens

150 Eastern Parkway 990 Washington Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11225

Dinner, Drinks and a Set at Birdland

Dinner, drinks and a set at Birdaland? Yes, please. The music that escapes from the horns gallops jubilant circles around the tightly spaced tables. 

A bottle of wine is poured. A woman tips her head back and laughs. A pair of lovers clasp tattoo covered hands and smile. Beside me, my three and a half year old date, sips cranberry juice out of a tumbler and places his cloth napkin roll to his lips to emulate his father's trombone solo.

This past week, my wildly talented husband who plays for The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra spent the week with his fellow musicians playing at Birdland in New York.

As the wife of a musician, I've been in and out of numerous clubs, venues and performance spaces.

                                                                                                                                                Jazz clubs, intimate, mysterious, melancholy, hopeful, I thoroughly enjoy. They're one of the few places where people get dressed up to hear live music. It's a lost grace. Dining, drinking, enjoying the bygone glamor of big band swing- it's magical. In few places, is it as magical as it is at Birdland.

Where other venues can tend towards pretentious and stuffy, Birdland holds to the expression and passion of jazz. Audience participation, dancing, the having of a good time are all encouraged.

The audience at Birdland, your fellow table neighbors, they're freer, giddier. Birdland is a true jazz lovers hangout.

You can even, if you are brave enough, bring your three year old. Mine has been to so many jazz clubs, he hums the genius of Dizzy, Miles, Basie, Coltrane and Ellington the way most kids his age sing Old MacDonald. If you too have and old soul on your hands, they are welcome at Birdland.

Dinner, drinks and a set at Birdland is a great way to experience American Classical Music

(aka Jazz) in the city that helped build and re-invent the art form.

In a world that moves so quickly, that has become over saturated in technology, it's a comfort to know that one can step into Birdland and step back in time- getting lost in a space, in music that is as timeless and soul stirring today as it was when it was first imagined.

 Birdland

315 West 44th St New York, NY 10036

10 Reasons to Love Ft. Greene Brooklyn

There are so many more than just 10 Reasons to Love Ft. Greene Brooklyn! If you love art, music, dance, beaches, breathtaking Manhattan skyline views, children, hipsters, hipster children, dogs, bicycles, trees, farmer's markets, cutting edge restaurants, yoga, or are into carrying hemp bags or even woven baskets when grocery shopping to avoid wasting plastic, then Brooklyn may be for you!

Brooklyn is booming right now! People are leaving Manhattan in record numbers, to flock to its hip, tree-lined streets.

When I left Manhattan five years ago and moved to Brooklyn, I was overwhelmed with a sense of belonging. I had found my tribe. Ft. Greene, Brooklyn, was and still is, my perfect city match.

From the pier-lined waterfront with breathtaking Manhattan views, to the beaches, to the endless rows of immaculate, tree-lined 19th century brownstones, Brooklyn in my place and cozy, artsy, family-friendly, quirky, diverse, Ft. Greene, a place I'm fortunate enough to call home, is my favorite neighborhood!

10 Reasons to Love Ft. Greene, Brooklyn:

1. One of the most diverse neighborhoods in the country, Ft. Greene is racially and ethnically diverse and is home to a large European ex-pat community. Walking down the street you see interracial couples of every possible combination. School playgrounds are a tapestry of colors. It's a beautiful thing to see.
2. The Arts thrive in Ft. Greene. Between BAM (The Brooklyn Academy of Music) and it's numerous manifestations including the Shakespearean Theatre, The BAM Rose Independent Film Cinema,  The BAM Harvey Theatre (home of contemporary off-Broadway works), to the Mark Morris Dance Group, the New York Writer's Coalition, CUMBE Dance Center, the Museum of the Contemporary African Diasporan Arts, and being in close walking proximity to the Brooklyn Museum and the massive Brooklyn Library Central Branch, there is no shortage of artistic entertainment and merriment in Ft. Greene.
3. Green spaces everywhere. Ft. Greene has so many beautiful parks and playgrounds. From the stunning rolling fields of Ft. Greene Park which hosts live music, farmer's markets and local events, Ft. Greene residents are within quick walking distance (10-20 minutes- and yes, in New York, that is close proximity) from Brooklyn's shining green jewels- Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens.
4. Historic Brownstones- At one point in time, Brooklyn was a wealthy suburb of New York City. The area of Ft. Greene, which is close to the periphery of Manhattan was adorned with elegant brownstones where they remain beautifully preserved and landscaped.
5. Ft. Greene is so darn family friendly! Families and children are everywhere. As a parent, this means, you won't be shamed if you bring your children to nicer restaurants. In fact, most kids in New York, because they're used to the cultural options, are very well behaved inside cafes, bistros and elegant restaurant settings. People will also not look twice if you bring your children to the local beer garden or wine bar, as long as you're not literally sitting at the bar.
6. Ft. Greene is pet friendly! In addition to the open park space for dogs to run and play, restaurants up and down Fulton, DeKalb and Myrtle offer water dishes and treats to your furry friends if you take advantage of sidewalk seating. Every Halloween in Ft. Greene Park, there is a doggy costume parade- it's serious!
7. Excellent dining! Brooklyn, Ft. Greene included, is home to some of the most innovative restaurants in the country. In addition to wonderful food, you can find a little bit of everything in terms of ethnic food and variety in Ft. Greene. Within a quick right and then a quick left from my doorstep I can choose from Italian, French, Moroccan, Ethiopian, Mediterranean, Mexican, Southern, Farm to Table, Vegan, Barbeque, Caribbean, Nigerian, Sushi, Chinese, Vietnamese, it's so incredible! This quick two block span doesn't take into account the numerous specialty bakeries, cheese, doughnut and ice-cream shops. Add to this, the presence of cafes and you won't be disappointed when it comes to snacking or dining in Ft. Greene, Brooklyn.
8. Ft. Greene is easily walkable. With wide sidewalks, picturesque blocks, and an easy layout, it is easy to stroll and enjoy Ft. Greene by foot. The entire neighborhood is within close walking distance. You can also easily make your way by foot to the neighborhoods of Park Slope, Prospect Park, Downtown Brooklyn, Clinton Hill, Crown Heights and Bed-Stuy, from Ft. Greene.
9. Ft. Greene's buildings have a great view of the Manhattan skyline. Ft. Greene is one of the first neighborhoods you'll hit in Brooklyn as you come in from Manhattan. While not on the waterfront itself, many buildings offer beautiful rooftop views of the Manhattan skyline. From my bedroom window, I can look out on a clear day and see the Freedom Tower, the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. Sometimes you have to get out of Manhattan, to be able to admire it.
10. Ft. Greene is a great place to be outdoorsy. In addition to the parks, the streets are full of bike lanes for bikers, and wide sidewalks for joggers. Never crowded, always fluid, Ft. Greene is a great place to be outdoors.

Ft. Greene is worth a visit. The next time you're in New York City, plan a Brooklyn exploration day!

Brooklyn really is booming! Stroll across the bridge and make your way to Ft. Greene by foot or hop on the C or the G trains to Lafayette street.

However you get here, you're going to love it and you're not going to want to leave!

Lavender Buttermilk Waffles

  The intensely floral and deeply layered scent of lavender is one of my favorite. Instantly calming, bold, soothing and pretty, lavender is so much more than a fragrance. Lavender is healing. When applied to the temples it can tame a migraine and lower blood pressure, when sprinkled on freshly washed sheets, it can lull even the most anxious among us into a good nights sleep. Lavender keeps mosquitoes and gnats at bay. Dried lavender lasts forever and looks lovely in every room. Lavender is also a perfectly edible flower. Lavender tea has a bold and aromatic flavor and ground lavender flowers add a ridiculously delectable and fancy flavor to your food.

 I am, quite possibly lavender obsessed. I'm okay with that and you just may join me in my lavender obsession once you taste these lavender buttermilk waffles! What?!?!

These lavender buttermilk waffles are quite possibly the best waffles out there. They're fancy, yet so easy to make.

In addition to being fragrant, floral and delicious, they're healthy! Flax seeds add omega 3's, antioxidants and fiber, virgin coconut oil is an antioxidant rich, heart healthy alternative to butter when it comes to baking, coconut palm sugar is sweet, has no aftertaste and is a low glycemic, all-natural processed sugar substitute, and nutmeg isn't just delicious, it contains vital trace minerals and aids in digestion.

Here's What You'll Need:

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons ground lavender

1 tablespoon ground flax

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup sugar (coconut palm sugar is an excellent low glycemic option)

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups buttermilk

4 large eggs

1 cup coconut oil (melted to a liquid)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Here's What You Need To Do:

In a coffee grinder, add your lavender and flax seed and grind until it is the consistency of flour. Prepare yourself for a blast of wonderful lavender aromatherapy.

In a large mixing bowl, you want to combine your dry ingredients. Add your flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, freshly ground lavender, nutmeg, flax and salt.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, melted coconut oil and vanilla. Note: Make sure your melted coconut oil is cooled so that it doesn't cook the eggs (woops!)

Add your wet ingredients to the dry ingredient bowl. Whisk until smooth.

You know your waffle maker better than I do. Go ahead and preheat, grease with coconut oil and ladle (yes, I use a soup ladle for this job) your mixture onto the griddle to bring these delicious lavender buttermilk waffles to life.

Top with pure maple syrup or whipped cream and a few sprinkles of lavender and voila- an instantly fancy brunch is served!