24
Jul
2015

Meditate Jersey City

categories: Community/ Volunteers, Health

meditate

Did you know that you can meditate for free at The Brunswick Center in Jersey City?

The former school at 189 Brunswick Street has transformed into an educational health and wellness center, where classrooms have been converted into dance studios, cardio and weight-training rooms, and the yoga & meditation center.

Volunteers run the meditation classes at 7pm on Mondays (or Tuesdays, depending on attendance availability in the meetup group) and at 5pm on Saturdays.

On my particular visit, Kushal Choksi, who works in hedge funds, was the instructor. We removed our shoes before entering the studio and sat on our mats. First, we did breathing exercises to open up our air passages. Then Kushal led us in a guided meditation that he said would be 10 minutes but when we finished it turned out to be 22 minutes. Time was irrelevent. In meditation, you are so focused on your inner body that you are not concerned with the outside world.

Kushal explained that most of our daily lives involve things pulling us in different directions and that both external and internal forces control our thoughts. But there is one way we can control our thoughts…through breathing. I certainly felt clear-headed and centered after the session, at peace with myself and my surroundings. We were living in the present moment.

I spoke to Amit Haryani, who often leads the classes at The Brunswick Center. He has studied yoga and meditation for 20 years and has taught for 15 of those, finding that it gives him inner peace from his day job as an environmental engineer.

Earlier in ilfe, when Amit was stressed out during exams, his classmate introduced him to “The Art of Living” happiness program, started by His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The Brunswick Center location offers that as a paid program, once a month. Details here.

“The happiness program is about leading a lifestyle where you can truly be happy,” says Amit. “It gives you the ability to actually be the expression of happiness, rather than be in the pursuit of happiness.”

If anything can be determined from the demeanor of these men and other organizers, it is that they have an inner-peace that radiates positive energy and joy to all of those in their presence.

SCHEDULE:

  • Community Meditations: Monday 7-8pm and Saturday 5-6pm
  • Community Yoga: Tuesday 7-8pm
  • Happiness Program Schedule: Aug 27-31,  Sept 24-28
  • Meditation program: Aug 7-9, Sept 11 – 13  

Ommm,
JCG

21
Jul
2015

Jersey City’s New Hot Sauce!

categories: Farm stands & farmer's markets, Specialty Markets

GeminiCrowJoining the Grove Street Farmer’s Market this year is new hot sauce vendor Gemini-Crow, and boy is that sauce hot!

Dov Teta, a former co-worker of mine way back, founded Gemini-Crow while being a stay-at-home dad for his daughters.

As a supporter of entrepreneurs and small businesses (as well as a lover of hot sauce!), naturally, I had to check out the goods.

I chose Burn, Blackberry Belle, and the Devil His Due (not a typo).

IMG_20150604_185913236

All sauces are quite hot, so a little goes a long way. My favorite is Blackberry Belle, as it’s a little sweeter and has less burn than the others, but they are all good and fiery. There are also two jarred sauces under the “Doom” label.

Stop by Dov’s stand at The Grove Street Farmers Market on Thursdays and you can try each sauce in the Gemini-Crow collection and hear his recommendations for food pairings. All are gluten-free and vegan. Each bottle is $7.99, but you can buy 3 for $21 at the market.

Best of all, if you mention that you read about it on Jersey City Gal, he may just give you a discount.

Feel the burn,
JCG

15
Jul
2015

Maid Comfy: Household Cleaning Tips!

categories: Cleaning

maid comfy

Who has the time and energy to keep up with household cleaning unless its your profession?

I am obsessed with cleaning and sometimes feel like its all I do, only to find some dust  the next day. That damn dust.

I am always looking for ways to be more proficient and smarter and faster with my cleaning.

I research cleaning methods a lot. And I found a cool man, Abu Bah, who runs NJ cleaning service MaidComfy and blogs about our cleaning crises. Here are his 5 Basic Tips for Reorganizing the Home and Simplifying Life

Tip #1 – Start With Clearing out the Clutter

Though most people may not realize it, lots of clutter can affect virtually every part of an individual’s life.

Click below to read more…

(more…)

27
Jun
2015

Cork & Canvas: My trip!

categories: Art, Crafts, Events, Jersey City Families, Small Business!, The Village, This Weekend in Jersey City

IMG_20150715_091815

After my initial announcement of the opening of Cork & Canvas, I want to update you on how amazing my experience was. This is def my favorite activity suggestion for a friend or family fun night. Tons of laughs, healthy competition and a masterpiece to bring home!

The night I went, it was a Hawaiian theme, and I got “laid” when I walked in. There were kids from 4-86. No worries. All skill levels are welcome.

After some food, drink and mingling, we settled at our canvasses and got down to the painting bit. Each person is provided with a canvas, pallette of acrylic paint colors, brushes and water.

There was a finished painting of what we would be creating on an easel next to the instructor up front. Our leader had her own blank canvas and walked us through the process step by step as she began her recreation, instructing what type of brush to use, which colors to mix, and where to place our lines and shapes on the canvas.

An assistant strolls the aisles to refill colors on your palette and bring you paper towels. For the more deatiled parts of the painting, the instructor walks arounds with the finished product to assist your strokes.

Glancing to my right and left, I was a bit intimidated. The woman to my right admitted she was a professonal painter and the man to my left seemed like he was one. It should be noted that you don’t have to follow instructions exactly if you don’t want to. Instead of the flower, one man chose to paint a dog instead and another chose to do a plate with a steak dinner. To each their own.

After finishing up, painters have the opportunity to see everyone’s creations while cleaning up and letting the canvases dry. Each painting was beautiful and unique and inspirational.

And then we all went on our merry ways with our masterpieces.

To the artistically inclined,
JCG

21
Jun
2015

Weekday Fishing @ Reservoir #3

categories: Jersey City Families, Jersey City Heights, Outdoor Fun!

A swan is the only thing hanging out at the Jersey City Reservoir Number 3 off of Summit Avenue on Saturday. The gate was locked and garbage filled the entrance, even though a sign was posted stating that every Saturday until October the reservoir is open from 10am to 6pm. September 15, 2007. PAMELA SUCHY / The Jersey Journal

Not only is Reservoir #3 by Pershing Field in the Heights open on the weekends for fishing, kayaking or just wandering around, it is now open on weekdays from 3-8pm. Fishing equipment and instruction are provided, and all ages are welcome. Enter at Jefferson Avenue.
Throw me a line,
JCG

1 … 31 32 33 34 35 … 88