Your Wednesday Headless Photo + Camp Notes

The Camp Director surrounded by camp lights, garlands, and fringes. And Omar. It's all in the game.

Here are some IMPT Design Camp Notes, yo:

1. I'm leaving tomorrow for more southeastern shores, since ATL mini-camp is this weekend. It's sold out, but if you really want to come, send me an email and I'll see what I can do. You probably DO want to come, since the beloved and much-missed Ben Corda will be there shooting the day and taking everyone's portrait for fun. We're located in a super-cool loft, and I heard a rumor that Ludacris will be in attendance. I know for a FACT that Allison will be there interning (Have y'all ever wanted to order Al around? Now's your chance.).

2. The sadly-cancelled Denver mini camp has been rescheduled for July 27! I had flight problems; Denver had a blizzard; we had to shut the whole thing down. I'm hoping we can avoid all those troubles in July. Go sign up, y'all! The location is beautiful, and apparently Denver doesn't have snow in July, hooray!

3. So, I thought since I was doing a mini-camp in July already, why not do two? Philadelphia! You're in. July 13. I still need a location and an intern. Who's with me?

4. There is one (1) (ONE) Boston spot left.

5. Hey, guess what? AB Chao Design Camp has its own Facebook page! Very exciting. I'd be much obliged if you'd like it. I mean, "Like" it.

Your Wednesday Headless Marriage Equality Photo

I spent some time in DC this week and was fortunate enough to get to see some of the action, live, at the steps of the Supreme Court yesterday. I was wearing red, along with so many others. It was truly magnificent. We are getting there, y'all.

PS: My dear friend Lisa's post on why this matters.

Recap: Los Angeles Camp!

Oh, my LA girls, how I miss you. It's been over a month and I can still see your shining faces.

We had camp in North Hollywood, at the offices of Click Communications, which is basically the cutest office space ever. And North Hollywood! You impressed me. I had no idea.

The sweet people at Illume sent over these beautiful Boho Candles from their new collection. That was the best-smelling camp I've ever held, and I will tell you that for free. I am kind of in love with all of them, but Desert Tulip and I have a special connection.

I also bought the cutest birch paper straws for our drinks. Paper straws are terrible for iced coffees, but no one cared because they were high on candle wax.

"Dude. I'm so high right now. Yo, pass me another straw."

My lovely intern Erin owns a textile + home goods company called Cotton and Flax. Along with being awesome, she brought these beautiful postcards she designed. She brought four different designs, and there may have been some fighting.

I switched it up this time and took a break from my good old Baggu bags. These cutie Eames rocker totes were made locally in LA by Daisy-Alexandra and David of Feeding Birds Boutique. Those two could not have been more pleasant to work with, and I'm excited to use their company again for future camps.

Someone brought mustache stickers. That + mimosas = inevitable silliness. 

None of these ladies is paying attention, because they are all drunk on candles, straws, and mustache stickers.

Erin of the postcard wars. 

An entire wall of the space was made of whiteboard, which made for some good breaktime fun. Check out Super Chao up there. I think she's pretty accurate.

Since it was Mardi Gras weekend, I brought beads from home to toss at the class. We also had my favorite king cakes of all time delivered from Sucré in NOLA. I don't remember who got the baby, but I do remember that they were very confused.

Pimm's Cups! Another special Louisiana thing in honor of Mardi Gras.

My sweet LA ladies, looking cute.

And then you know we had to flash that LA gang sign.

Do YOU want to come to camp? Of course you do! Register here:

April: ATLANTA MINI | BOSTON

May: MINNEAPOLIS

June: BERLIN 

Your Wednesday Adorable Dog Photo

This is Duck. Duck enjoys tennis balls, Missoni scarves, and drinking other people's bath water.

Life List: Attend a Steve Ross Yoga Class

Way back in days of yore, when I lived in Arlington, Texas, there existed a show on the Oxygen Network called Inhale with Steve Ross. Having yet to contract the adult-onset athleticism that would afflict me in my thirties, I decided that taking up yoga was the perfect non-exercise exercise for me. After all, I had been a gymnast for years: how hard could it be?

Reader, it could be hard. So hard, in fact, that I could barely finish the first episode I tried. But I tried it again. And again.  And eventually, I grew addicted to it. I also grew amazing arm muscles, but that's neither here nor there.

When we moved to Monroe in 2003, we no longer received the Oxygen Network; thus, no more Steve. Now, this was before the days where you could download/watch things on the Internet, so I made my friend Pam -- who had introduced me to Inhale, so this was all her fault anyway -- tape some episodes onto a VHS TAPE and mail it to me. Y'all, I wore that tape out. In fact, I bet I could do every single one of those episodes from memory, right now, with a yoga mat tied behind my back. Unfortunately, the show was unceremoniously cancelled in 2010, which made many people very sad.

There is an entire website devoted to bringing Inhale back, if you're interested.

Anyway, when I made a Life List, one of the items I included was "Attend a yoga class with Steve Ross in LA." And then I kind of forgot about it and never scheduled it, even though I am in LA pretty often. Lucky for me, Beth Pointer, the sweetest person in all the land, remembered seeing it on my life list and scheduled a class for me during the week of my LA Design Camp. Is that not the best thing ever? I believe it is. I love you, Bethers.

And so it was that I found myself in Steve's studio at Maha Yoga one Tuesday morning, wearing Uniqlo pajama pants and an ill-fitting tank top (I forgot to bring anything to wear, because I am not smart). It was so exciting when Steve walked in and hollered, "Stand up!" JUST LIKE ON TV, Y'ALL. 

I need not tell you that the class was amazing; the format was very similar to the show, but longer and with more poses, and a more extensive variety of music (Thrift Shop, holla!). I was nervous that I wouldn't make it since I haven't done yoga in a while, but it all came back to me pretty quickly. Also, Steve smiled at me a bunch of times and said, "Having fun yet?" JUST LIKE ON TV Y'ALL.

After we were all done, I told Steve that I was there because attending his class was on my life list, and he seemed to be tickled about that. Also, we hugged. I know, no one likes a bragger. But I hugged Steve Ross, people. As if that weren't enough, the sweet Maha Yoga folks emailed me a few days after class to make sure I had liked it, and to tell me that Steve really enjoyed having me in class. What? OKAY.

At the very end of class, Steve had us lie on our backs and tranquil music was playing and he kind of instructed us to let in whatever thought came to mind. As I lay there in that Los Angeles yoga studio, the word that kept echoing in my head was, "Grateful. Grateful. Grateful." And I am, for so many things in my life. Thanks, Steve.