Mountain Views News          Saturday, April 23, 2016

9

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

Mountain Views-News Saturday, April 23, 2016 


THE JOY OF YOGA


RIDE THE WAVE


There’s nothing 
quite like the initial 
wave of goodness 
from a regular yoga practice. I became hooked almost 
immediately. I compare it to being really thirsty from a hard 
workout or a long trip. I found hydration. Yoga had some 
of things I was looking for: physical challenge, meditation 
and solitude. When my friend first recommended I try 
yoga, she said it helped not just physically as exercise, 
but it made her feel better. When I started was still trying 
to “hit two birds with one stone” in efficiency, so the 
exercise with some silent reflection fit the bill. Later, the 
joy of the experience and natural flow began to sink in. 
Who knew I would fall in love with yoga and the 
journey of self mastery? I found that as I continued 
with my practice, I needed the fundamentals as well 
as MORE knowledge. I needed to build upon my 
foundation. It was a natural progression. Formal yoga 
studies seemed like the next indicated step. In a short 
time, I transformed from someone who attended yoga 
classes to a student of yoga. In this thread, knowledge 
and deepening of studies became just as important as 
the experience in practice. Real inspiration began to 
sink in. My level of discipline, or tapas, began to build. 
Anytime I reach a plateau in my practice (or life) I 
know that more studies are required. I lean back upon 
my foundation, but my growth comes from seeking 
knowledge and using tapas (austerity, discipline) to stay 
on course. I then incorporate the learned spiritual lessons 
into my life. The internal Inspiration from this process is 
deeply fulfilling. The phrase ‘don’t rest on your laurels’ 
comes to mind. So, if you are a student of yoga, or not yet, 
I encourage you to ride the wave of fulfillment yoga has to 
offer. Pick one subject or philosophy you’d like to know 
more about. Read about it, find out where it’s being taught. 
Also, study with a teacher who you respect. Not 
just a yoga instructor, but a teacher of yoga. 


See you in class! 

And Namaste, my light salutes your light. 


Julie’s Favorite Family Recipes

TRIPLE GINGER COOKIES

Laria Tabul “These are a real pain in the butt to make, but they are worth it. The best ginger cookies I 
have ever eaten.”

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter / 1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg / 1/4 cup molasses 

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour/ 1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda / 2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root 

1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger

Directions

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and molasses. 
Combine the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, and salt; stir into the molasses mixture using a wooden 
spoon. Mix in the fresh and crystallized gingers. Cover, and refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours, or 
overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Shape dough into 1 inch balls, and place about 2 inches 
apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks, wax paper or 
paper bags.

FOOD AND DRINK

THIS GRAPE DESERVES 
SOME RESPECT


The merlot grape doesn’t get as many headlines 
as the cabernet grape, even though many times 
it is used in a supporting role for blends. Lately, 
I have noticed an uptick in the amount of space 
merlots have been given in my supermarket 
aisle. They know by sales how much to stock, 
that is for sure. The name “merlot” is thought 
to be a diminutive of “merle”, the French name 
for the blackbird. This makes me wonder if the Beatles 
were singing about wine, although I am guessing the 
real answer is probably related to the color of the 
grape’s skin.

 If you are a cabernet fan and want something 
bold, but a bit more fruit forward, consider the 2012 
Merlot from the Franciscan Winery in Napa Valley, 
California. This merlot goes well with steak, and it’s 
priced reasonably enough that you can bring it to a 
backyard BBQ, which is exactly how I first discovered 
this wine! As my sommelier friend Fast Eddie Morales 
says, “If it is ready to buy, it is ready to drink.” Being 
a 2012, you can opt to decant the wine for twenty 
minutes, but in my opinion it’s ready to drink now! 
The color is a deep purple; you might smell red fruit 
flavors like raspberries and strawberries and a few 
notes leafy vegetal notes (see below). Remember, this 
reviewer doesn’t swirl his wine, I sip and look for a 
taste of a long finish, and this had just that. 

 Each week I will give you my Dills Score, following 
the scoring method of the Wine Spectator and adding 
points for value to that equation. I started with a base 
of 50 points and added 8 points for color, 7 points for 
aroma or “nose”, 9 points for taste, 8 points for finish, 
and 8 points for my overall impression. 

 Wine Term: I like the word “Notes” - it reminds 
me of music, and can refer to aromas, flavors, or both 
aromas and flavors.

 2012 Merlot from the Franciscan Winery

Final Score: 90

Franciscan Merlot Retail $25 

Available at Vons and other fine retailers in the $20 
range

 Join me this Sunday at 5 PM on Radio Station AM 
830 KLAA


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com