Hello, my lovely readers. I just want to start off by saying thank you so much for the condolences and comforting words on my Instagram the other day -  My sweet little doggy Mischa passed away over the weekend, and although I am terribly sad, I am grateful she is able to rest in peace now. She was the most precious little thing, and it's hard to deal with. Thank you for lifting me up.

Mischa passed on Friday morning in my hometown, while I was upstate at a yoga retreat. My mom waited to break the bad news until I returned from my trip. I am grateful she waited, because I ended up having an incredible weekend.

The Brampton

The Brampton is a luxury cabin located in Upstate New York - about a 4.5 hour drive from Manhattan and only 20 minutes from the beautiful Lake George. Andrew and I were graciously invited by the founders of The Brampton to spend a weekend experiencing their very first yoga retreat. Obviously, I said hells to the yea.

The Weekend: Yoga, Vegan Noms & Friendly Bonds

We were picked up in the city Friday evening with a van full of lovely strangers. It was a long drive, so it was our first opportunity to meet the other folks signed up for the retreat. By the time we arrived, it was around 10pm, so we kicked off the retreat chatting around a cozy bonfire.

In a nutshell, we spent the weekend hiking, practicing yoga, boating, and noshing on delicious, home-cooked vegan meals (breakfast, lunch & dinner) by the talented Pas Niratbhand, Founder of The Seed Experience. One of my dishes was his chia pudding, since you all know how much I love breakfast! Feast your eyes on the below:

Delicious, right? We woke up bright and early each day for a morning yoga sesh in the sun led by the beautiful Jessica Sandhu. Jess is a yoga instructor and health coach based in DC, and we were so lucky to have her with us this weekend.

It felt incredible to be out in nature practicing yoga with nothing but the sounds of the Hudson River and the birds. Jessica is such an amazing guide - I loved her focus on anatomy. It reminded me of the hours of anatomy I learned during my training, and how important it is that I apply it to my classes as well.

Saturday morning after our morning yoga, we headed out for a boat ride. I don't remember the last time I was on a boat, but damn, I need more of that in my life. #amiright?

It was really nice to bond with our group and learn about their lives, share stories, and just spend time with one another. We hardly had service, so it felt nice to unplug. Also, we just couldn't help ourselves... Here is a classic jumping photo:

Woo! Being out on the water all day was actually quite exhausting - even if we were just sitting and vegging out. That sun, though (I'm super tan now). The rest of the evening was spent chillaxing, eating, and just hanging out.

Community, Acceptance, Love

The Brampton offers a unique variety of tailored weekend retreats. Most importantly, they offer a community. I love this photo of us all gathered around the table, getting ready to eat food that we helped Pas create, and no longer feeling like strangers.

Although, I think the below may be my favorite photo of the entire trip. We call it "The Battle of the Gingerbread Men". We busted out the sparklers and spent a chunk of Saturday evening making light paintings!

I recommend The Brampton to anyone in need of a 'reset'. A weekend stay starts at $300 and includes roundtrip transportation (this is GREAT), all meals, and organized hikes, boat rides or waterskiing - whatever's your forté! Just send the guys an email, and they will tailor it to what your group has in mind.

Keep up with the Brampton: FACEBOOK | MEETUP | INSTAGRAM

Vegan Plates by The Seed Experience - Follow @TheSeedExperience Yoga led by Jessica Sandhu - Follow @JessicaSandhuYoga All photography by Om & The City

Enjoy your week, wonderlusters! x