getting real women's retreat

debbie (my rockstar mother-in-law) and some friends once had a dream of a women's retreat...a retreat with a holistic approach, where women build community and dig down deep. last weekend, that dream came to life, and i was honored to be a part of it. i spent the weekend with some stellar women in the beautiful and peaceful north carolina mountains, preparing food and leading yoga sessions.

everything about the retreat was refreshing. the weather, the table decor, the food....oh my gosh, the food. each meal was a labor of love. i've never felt so nourished, not only in my body but in my soul. we gathered around the table at each meal, sharing stories, laughing, and soaking up the flavors of the food and the moment.

i helped prepare the meals, and even i felt spoiled when i sat down to eat. for dessert the first night, we had black cherry almond ice cream with chocolate shavings alongside rosemary corn cake with a brown sugar cream cheese frosting. holy...

on the menu for lunch the next day was a grilled cheese bar. everyone made different grilled cheese concoctions -- apple, pear, gouda, mozzarella, brie, cheddar, goat, hard boiled eggs, arugula, mustard, jam, tapenade..just to name a few ingredients. we had our sandwiches out on the patio (the weather was perfect) and had lemon poppy seed cookies for dessert. decadent, i know. don't worry, we did plenty of yoga and hiking ;)

    ^red pepper cheesecakes with an apricot glaze...beth was the mastermind behind the menu and an inspiration to us all...

some other favorite activities from the weekend were the crafts. i use to love to paint. i've never been good at it...but i use to love it. so sitting down to actually craft was a breath of fresh air. we painted mugs and stamped them with leaves, and also did a fused glass project. i made a candle holder, and i can't wait to see how it turns out!

    ^oh yes, and i can't forget the bark. we made homemade bark for s'mores. my favorite bark concoction was the rosemary, dried cherry, orange bark with almonds [recipe to come!]. 

my weekend could not have been spent any better. it was just plain good for my soul. i came home feeling inspired and new. which makes sense...the mountains, good food, yoga, and good people will do that to ya...

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p.s. if you are from the carolinas or georgia area, there is a giveaway for the brand market workshop on nov. 2 in atlanta, that you don't want to miss! you can find details * here *