Choosing My Yoga Teacher Training: London vs Bali
How I chose my yoga teacher training program in midlife — London vs Bali, intensive courses vs slow learning, and finding the right fit.
I really wanted to go to Bali for my teacher training. To the point where I had to stop and ask myself: Do I actually want to become a yoga teacher, or do I just want to go to Bali?
But here’s the thing. If you Google “Yoga Teacher Training [YTT] Bali” you will find lots of very beautiful young people, wearing bikini tops and doing backbends in rice fields. I’m sure there would be some people my age there. In fact - I know there would be, because I spent some time in Bali, and there were plenty of women of a certain age there doing their own personal Eat Pray Love tour. But when the entire YTT website is papered with PYTs you start to question whether it’s the right place for you.
These are beautiful people, but these are not my people.
I will cut to the chase and tell you: I decided to do my teacher training in London - which includes a one week intensive in Morocco. Here’s my thought process:
🐌 Learning deeply instead of quickly
I could learn fast and furiously - but I’d rather take my time and really absorb the material.
🧘🏼♀️ Practical teaching experience
One of the things I’m most nervous about is actually standing in front of a class and teaching. Those super fast intensives? They don’t give you much time or experience actually teaching. I feel like I’d come home from Bali and feel super insecure about teaching my first class.
Often, when you take a course over several months, they get you “teaching” short sequences right away. You have time between sessions and you begin to video yourself for homework, etc. From what I’ve learned, by the time you finish the course, you are ready to walk into a studio and start teaching. I mean, I'll probably still be a nervous wreck, but you know what I mean.
😊 Sense of community
I’d like to be taught by someone I can relate to. Bonus points if she’s a wise woman who is my age-ish. It also seems likely that your fellow YTT students might become your support system, both during and after the course. I like the idea that these are people who live near me.
📍 Where I’m doing my course
After a lot of researching and soul-searching, I chose Yoga Haven here in London, which is run by Allie Hill. A few months ago, she hosted an online Zoom session to explain her programme and philosophy - and then gave us a link to a podcast interview where you could learn more about her. The 200-hour course will be held in person, one weekend a month for 5 months, plus a one week intensive in Morocco. I think this is a great blend of solid instruction and fun adventure!
Yoga Haven YTT, Morocco Intensive Week - Agadir
FAQs for the YTT curious:
Not sure if you are experienced enough?
You are. You don’t have to look/do like the above in order to be a great yoga teacher.
Not sure if you actually want to teach?
That’s okay. A lot of people just take the course because they want to go deeper in their practice.
How do you know which programmes are legit?
Look for something that is Certified by Yoga Alliance, which is how you will become a Registered Yoga Teacher.
How many hours do I need?
You need to take a 200-hour course to become certified to teach. There is also a 300- and 500-hour options, but most people start out with the 200-hour course. You can always add-on extra hours of training later.
How long does 200 hours take?
Well… approximately 200 hours. JK,JK. You can take an intensive course in 21 days. These are popular in India, Bali and Thailand. Or take a course that is spread out over several months. You could even take a self-paced course that is 100% online - which sounds terrible to me, but you do you Sister Sue.
How do you find a good YTT programme?
Do your research. Almost anyone can become a Yoga Teacher Trainer, so it’s important to be discerning. Ask your favourite teachers where they trained. Get references, read reviews, watch online videos, etc.
What kind of yoga will you learn?
It depends on the programme, but most do blend of a few styles. Figure out what kind of yoga you like, and speicfically look for those. For example, I like flow-y, “find what feels good” yoga, like Hatha and Vinyasa. I don’t enjoy practices like Iyengar, which focuses on precision and perfect alignment. Or aerial yoga, which makes me barf.
What do you learn in YTT?
Each programme should clearly lay out their curriculum. Look for something that covers anatomy and philosophy, in addition to teaching practicalities like sequencing and adjustments.
Thanksgiving in Indiana
Hello friends! We just got back from Indiana where we spent the most picturesque Thanksgiving. Here are a few memorable scenes…
Hello friends! We just got back from Indiana where we spent the most picturesque Thanksgiving. Special thanks to my sister Kelly for pulling it off - four generations, seven casseroles and a full-on snow storm! Here are a few memorable scenes - or scroll all the way to the bottom for the best description of my childhood I could ever show you.
After the big Thanksgiving meal all the men went into the living room and watched football…
… while the women stayed in the kitchen and took turns playing with the baby. xoxo
Clayton got out his 4×4 and took everyone sledding. (There are no hills in Indiana!)
Lucy’s idea! So awesome: snow + hot tub + twisted teas
In from London and New York. xo
Cousins. xo
Sisters with Papaw Jack
Mama and Doug.
Daddy took me on his regular walk through the cemetery.
Looking through daddy’s old scrapbooks and photo albums.
Old photo of mom and dad.
I have no words.
The only hiccup: I woke up one morning with a terrible headache. But my mom took such good care of me that the memory of the headache now makes me smile… She sat on the couch next to me - patting my hand and telling me stories until my headache went away. It was so sweet!
Thanks so much for indulging me. I hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving!
xo, L
A Yoga Lover’s Gift Guide
A practical, opinionated yoga gift guide featuring simple, beautiful essentials — from mat straps to Jesus shoes.
1 - Palo Santo 2 - Yoga Words of Wisdom Book 3 - slim bracelet for my new work uniform 4 - mat spray 5 - slip-on Jesus shoes
Since there are approximately six people reading this blog post, let’s cut to the chase, shall we?
🎁 This is what I want for Christmas:
Slip-on Jesus shoes - because it’s super annoying to finish a class and have to lace up your sneakers.
A super slim, natural, neutral bracelet. One that isn’t precious. NOT chunky mala beads (see below)
Aromatherapy sprays or similar
Incense or palo santo or similar
Magnesium bath flakes or similar
♥️ For the record, I LOVE but already have:
A singing bowl. It’s something you have to choose yourself. Preferably in Bali.
Magnesium spray. This also great for restless leg syndrome, btw.
🕯️ I have but could always use more:
Candles - this looks cool: “Creative Sabbath” candle
But definitely not candles that smell like vanilla or cookies. That’s so weird.
🚫 Not for me:
I don’t really enjoy mala beads in the form of necklaces or bracelets. They’re just too chunky, and they get in the way when I type, which is all the time. Plus I’m a minimalist. I just want one tiny bracelet. That’s it.
📚 A note on books:
I feel like this deserves its own post. I have SO MANY books about learning yoga. I haven’t read them all yet, but it's better to skip this category. UNLESS you find a really good novel or funny memoir about someone doing or learning yoga - I haven’t found one I love. I do like books that offer a little bit of digestible wisdom per day (like the one in the picture above). But I haven't found a lot of those – I might need to write my own.
Starting Yoga Teacher Training in Midlife
A personal essay on starting yoga teacher training at 54, learning something new in midlife, and asking “if not now, then when?”
Roc de Chère, Menthon-Saint-Bernard, France (overlooking Lake Annecy)
I signed up for Yoga Teacher Training!
I’m so freaking excited that I already bought all the required reading and half of the suggested reading, even though my first day of classes isn’t until mid-January. In fact, I very nearly cancelled the rest of my afternoon appointments so that I could go back-to-school shopping but sound judgement prevailed. Mostly because B hates it when I buy myself things just before my birthday and Christmas. (Sophia, if you’re reading, I’d like a yoga strap like this one.) Come to think of it, here’s a Yoga Lovers Gift Guide.
🧘🏼♀️ 30 Years of Yoga
My friend Claudia took me to my first yoga class when I was 20 years old and living in Los Angeles. We were both working in Hollywood while trying to maintain some sense of self, which is a lot harder than you might think. My first class was in Santa Monica, I distinctly remember thinking two things: 1) What’s the deal with this dog pose and how long are we going to be here? And 2) Forget the Chateau Marmont, this is the place to see and be seen. There were so many actors and assistants in the room that it felt like I was networking in spandex. I liked doing the poses, but the mindfulness and philosophy behind yoga was completely lost on me. In any case, I only went to yoga sporadically in those days. When I had the time, I didn’t have the money and when I had money, I didn’t have the time.
In my 30s I went through a Bikram Hot Yoga phase. Did you know they yell at you in those classes? Why did I find that motivating? I guess in a weird way I was trying to get out of my own head - to stop the anxiety wheel of worry in my brain. Because say what you will, but to survive a Bikram session, you have no choice but to concentrate on breathing and being present. Still, it says something about a person who enjoys being yelled at while exercising in a 150-degree room while wearing hot pants and a sports bra. In retrospect, the whole scene seems cultish and unnecessarily brutal.
In my mid 40s, my body started creating its own hot flashes and I suddenly had zero tolerance for being yelled at. So I started experimenting with all forms of yoga and kept track of what I liked and didn't like. Hot Power Yoga was a hell no. Gentle Hatha and Flow-y Vinyasa? Yes. The teachers are (generally) much more accommodating and there’s no yelling or pushing. In fact, if all you do is lie down on the mat and cry take a nap? You will be commended for listening to your body.
In the last few years, I’ve started evaluating the teachers themselves. I’m allergic to 20-something influencers whose voice drops two octaves when she starts class. I went to a class at The Proud Project in London where the teacher spent more time staring at herself in the mirror and admiring her lips than she did watching her students and offering corrections. True story.
My ideal teacher is on the wise side of 40. She is stronger and more experienced than I am - but she’s not out of reach or intimidating. She is really good at what she does, but she doesn’t take herself too seriously. She’s simply a good teacher. I also like that she throws in a bit of life wisdom and woo-woo into the class - but not in an affected, performative way.
⏰ So why start training now?
The short answer is because my kids have flown the nest, and I have the time and freedom to do whatever I want!
I also like the fact that teaching yoga will keep me active and social. My other favourite activities (reading, writing, creating) tend to be solitary and sedentary. So it feels good to balance things out a bit. (Balance? Well, hello old friend. Where have you been the last 21 years?)
Plus, I love learning new things. I didn’t fully appreciate my education the first time around - I was too busy trying to make ends meet. And honestly, what greater gift is there than getting to study something you love?
And then there are the ideas… If you know me, you know I’ve always got a few other ideas up my sleeve! For years now, I’ve fantasised about hosting retreats, teaching yoga and/or finding new ways to bring women together. I just never felt quite ready.
Well, friends. I’m 54 freaking years old. If not now, then when?
💌 Follow along…
So I’ll be blogging throughout my training and whatever yoga adventures might follow. Hopefully it won’t get too weird and woo-woo, but let’s be honest, it probably will.
But you can follow along if you want. I’ll post regularly on this blog. Or you can receive monthly recaps by joining the newsletter: I’ll have what she’s having.
xo, L
A weekend in New York City
A few weekends ago, I flew to NYC to watch Sophia perform in a play. Never in a million, trillion years did I imagine that I would be in the audience while my daughter faked an orgasm on stage. In a life filled with “How did I get here?” moments, this ranked in the Top Ten.
But she’s such an amazing actress! She was onstage for almost the entire performance and even sang like an angel. I’m so humbled by how brave she is. All of the actors for that matter. Here I am, hiding behind a screen, nervous to share my writing - and she’s up there acting and singing and crying… I wish I had half her guts.
My sister Kelly and my good friend Eileen met me in NYC for the weekend. Kelly had never been before, so I felt the need to show her as much as humanly possible. Which, in case you’re curious, means walking about 12 miles per day. Not surprisingly, Kelly’s favourite area was Central Park, which happens to be Eileen’s old stomping grounds so she gave us a personalized tour. If I were ever required to live in New York City, I would definitely have to be close to Central Park. (I’m an upper west side girl, in case you're curious.)
I wanted to introduce Kelly to food she’d never find in Fairmount, Indiana so I took her to some of my favourite places. Namely: Planta Queen for scorched and pressed avocado, Spicy Moon for vegan DanDan noodles and lychee martinis, Joe’s Pizza and Leon’s Bagels.
On our last night, we went to the Upright Citizen’s Brigade which feeds stand-up comics and writers to Saturday Night Life. Again: these performers are SO BRAVE! Can you even imagine? To get onstage and try to make people laugh at you? They were crazy good.
It was fun seeing New York through Kelly's eyes. It reminded me of how fucking crazy New Yorkers are. And how there is so much freedom in that! You might feel insecure in whatever you are wearing or doing - but one day in New York reminds you that No One Cares. No one is looking at you. No one is paying attention to you. Everyone is just living their life. If you grew up in a small town, this idea is either teriftying or liberating. To me, it’s liberating.
On writing memoir (as a woman)
Preach it, Glennon. You’re a Goddamn cheetah.
Paraphrased excerpt from the podcast We Can Do Hard Things:
I actually remember a very famous cultural critic saying to me during an interview about Untamed, do you ever think it's arrogant to write another book about yourself?
I didn't think of anything smart to say in the moment. I’ve just thought about it every night since then. It’s basically this: I’m interested in the human condition. And I offer myself up as the specimen.
Around that same time, one of the major newspapers wrote in the book section, Glennon Doyle has a third memoir?
Question mark. Like, she's still talking? This woman is still talking?
And by the way, they only say this about women. Nobody says to David Sedaris or whatever guy is writing the next thing, that it's navel gazing, that it's confessional…
Because men are writing about life, and women are writing about themselves.
Men are exploring the great ideas, and women are navel gazing.
I actually believe that most of the drama and trauma that's happening in our lives and in our world is because people aren't doing enough fucking navel gazing. Like, maybe people really need to sit with their own story, work out their own shit before they unleash it on everybody else.
The End Times
I just started reading the most unusual and innovative “book” I’ve ever discovered. The End Times is a post-apocalyptic story that unfolds over a series of monthly newspapers. If you live in the US, you can actually get the tabloid-sized papers mailed to you! I’m so jealous. I had to suffice with the digital version, which I printed out to read.
The first paper (installment?) just dropped and it’s a super fun read. It’s written by Benjamin Percy and some other guy named Stephen King.
If you grew up reading your town’s local paper, this will be so nostalgic. Except for the post-apocalyptic part.
Here’s an excerpt:
5 Novels Told Through Letters
I read The Correspondent by Virginia Evans and I loved it! It inspired me to read more novels told through letters. Which, as it turns out, is referred to epistolary novels. Here’s my new to be read list.
I read The Correspondent by Virginia Evans and I loved it! It inspired me to read more novels told through letters. Which, as it turns out, is referred to epistolary novels. Here’s my to be read list.
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
a witty and uplifting novel told through one woman's unforgettable letters. Sybil Van Antwerp: stubborn, cantankerous, opinionated. through her letters and the occasional responses we see her work through the trials of her family, her love life and her health.
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
A real-life correspondence between a New York writer and a London bookseller that unfolds over 20 years. Smart, funny, tender, and completely irresistible.
If you loved The Correspondent, start here.
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Told through the heartfelt letters of Celie, a young Black woman in the American South, this novel traces her journey from pain to self-acceptance. Raw, redemptive, and deeply spiritual, it’s a testament to resilience, sisterhood, and the power of finding one’s voice.
Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce
Written through letters and diary entries in WWII London, about a young woman answering advice letters during the Blitz.
A perfect mix of charm, bravery, and friendship.
Love, Nina: Despatches from Family Life by Nina Stibbe
Real letters from a young nanny working for a London literary family in the 1980s. Dry humor, warmth, and wonderfully ordinary details.
If you like the voicey, observational humor of correspondence, this one sparkles.
Heart the Lover, Loved the Book
On loving writers and reviewing books.
I love reading, but I hate writing book reviews. I don’t even like assigning stars on Goodreads. For one thing, do you know how hard it is to write a halfway decent book? SO HARD. To my mind, an author should get 2 stars just for finishing the damn thing. And anyway, who am I to say that a book deserves only 3 stars instead of 4 or even 5? Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for it. Maybe if I’d read it at different time of life, I’d have said the book was life-changing. Or maybe I just wasn’t smart/cultured/worldly enough to appreciate it.
Also, tastes change over the course of a lifetime. For most of fourth grade, my favourite book Encyclopedia Brown Solves Them All. Then it was Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase. And then it was Forever by Judy Blume.
In my 20s, living in Prague, my favourite book was any free book I could get my hands on. I couldn’t afford to buy my own books, so I read what other people put in my hands: Milan Kundera, Ivan Klima, Toni Morrison, John Irving and every novel ever written set in 1920s Paris. Each new book was my favourite, like I had discovered reading for the first time. But I now realise that most of those books were my favourite simply because I was 25 years old and living in Prague.
My point is, book reviews are 100% subjective and entirely based on who you are at the time of reading.
Nevertheless, I am now going to review a book because I need to tell you that Heart the Lover absolutely wrecked me in the best possible way. Oh, Lily King — your book is extraordinary. Bless your heart and all its loves.
Heart the Lover is an achingly beautiful story about longing, becoming, and the courage to keep going when everything falls apart. It’s part coming-of-age, part existential love story.
♥️ If the title flummoxes you, not to worry. It isn’t a literary reference that you’re not educated enough to understand. Heart the Lover refers to a card game some of the main characters play in college. It’s also just beautiful and poetic. (Chat GPT suggests that it may be a play on words from Sons and Lovers by DH Lawrence, a book that the main characters read while in college. But if that’s true, it went right over my head.)
📍 I like to know the location of the story I’m reading. And I want to know where we’re going. Maybe you’re the same? This book is set in a college in New England (Harvard maybe?) - then Tennessee, Paris and New York.
🎧 I loved this book so much and think you should read it. Or better yet - listen to it! The audible version is narrated by Rebecca Lowman who generally enhances and never distracts. Let the story wash over you.
🏫 Imagine yourself studying literature at Harvard and longing for all the places you’ll go.
xo, L
p.s. I’m back on Goodreads. No stars, no reviews, just lists.
On Friends and Kitchen Tables
On friendship, banana bread and the poetry of ordinary life.
As I type this, I’m sitting at my kitchen table, looking out at the park and the trees turning orange. I’m eating homemade banana bread - gifted to me by a friend as a housewarming gift. How nice is that? Friends are the best.
I’ve been thinking about friends a lot lately. I was going through boxes and found some old photos of us dressed up, glammed up, sparkling and smiling into the camera. We looked so beautiful! Our young skin was flawless, our eyes bright and optimistic. We were so carefree. So happy, happy! Good times.
But it’s not the good times, alone, that cement friendships. When I look at that old photo of K, for example, I don’t think of that fancy party - the one we couldn’t believe we got invited to. I think of how two weeks later, she rubbed my back while I cried and stayed with me until I fell asleep. And when I woke up, she’d cleaned my kitchen.
I don’t mean to be so dramatic - life isn’t black and white, joy or despair. Mostly, it’s normal, average - dull, even. And having a friend means someone to keep you company during the mundane days of life. Someone to complain to when you haven’t seen the sun in ten days. Someone to tell you what to make for dinner. Someone to help you through February. February! Can anyone survive February without a friend? I don’t see how.
Anyway, that’s what I love about this poem. It’s about the significance of a kitchen table, but really it’s about friendship and life itself. I hope you like it.
Perhaps the World Ends Here
BY JOY HARJO
The world begins at a kitchen table. No matter what, we must eat to live.
The gifts of earth are brought and prepared, set on the table. So it has been since creation, and it will go on.
We chase chickens or dogs away from it. Babies teethe at the corners. They scrape their knees under it.
It is here that children are given instructions on what it means to be human. We make men at it, we make women.
At this table we gossip, recall enemies and the ghosts of lovers.
Our dreams drink coffee with us as they put their arms around our children. They laugh with us at our poor falling-down selves and as we put ourselves back together once again at the table.
This table has been a house in the rain, an umbrella in the sun.
Wars have begun and ended at this table. It is a place to hide in the shadow of terror. A place to celebrate the terrible victory.
We have given birth on this table, and have prepared our parents for burial here.
At this table we sing with joy, with sorrow. We pray of suffering and remorse. We give thanks.
Perhaps the world will end at the kitchen table, while we are laughing and crying, eating of the last sweet bite.
Until next week!
xo, L
p.s. Alternative kitchen table images, because I couldn’t decide.
p.p.s. The banana bread recipe (with light brown sugar but less of it, plus walnuts).
Sofia, Dorothy, Rose and Blanche
Me, Myself and AI
Books, travel and ideas worth sharing.
artist: alphonse mucha
Hi friends!
I’m writing to you this morning from Prague, where I just had the best oatmeal of my life. It was warm and soft and topped with a rose-infused berry sauce and chopped pistachios. Totally unexpected delight.
Here are a few things I thought worth sharing this week…
☕️ 1. Very few decisions are “rest of your life” decisions. Iwana Johnsen talks about this idea in an article titled, Reinvention as a Core Life Skill. She says:
Reinvention, it turns out, is less about making one big decision and more about stacking small ones. Try a project. Write a post. Join a community. See how it feels. …. stay in motion without needing everything figured out [today].
I needed this reminder because I tend to wake up in the morning and set a goal like TODAY I WILL FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH THE REST OF MY LIFE. Then I drink some buckets of coffee and I come up with a few brilliant ideas, and then the coffee wears off I spiral so far down inside myself that I can’t get off the couch. (It’s not like that everyday. But more days than I’d like to admit.)
Thankfully, I have a friend who likes me enough to yank me out of my despair. In fact, she routinely has to remind me Girl you’re doing it again. Why do you set unrealistic goals for yourself and then punish yourself for not achieving them? Stop striving so hard.
Thanks, K.
artist: alexandr onishenko
😳 2. Which brings me to another issue I’ve been thinking a lot about: “Whatever you are best at, AI will be better.” This isn’t exactly an uplifting newsletter so far is it? 🤣 Stay with me though, because actually, this article by Lisa-Marie Cabrelli is surprisingly empowering. It’s called While Everyone Panics About AI, Midlife Women Are Having the Last Laugh. She says that women in midlife are uniquely ready for this AI era:
We’ve already discovered that when everything external gets stripped away, something essential remains.
We’ve reinvented ourselves a thousand times over - from girl to woman, from woman to mother, from mother to woman again. We reinvent. That’s what we do.
Sure, it’s important to think critically and know how to use new tools. But it’s more important to know yourself. To be able to sift through all the noise and to find your own small voice. And then - critically - learn to trust it. To trust your own lived experience. In other words, to be human.
artist: petr sís
👟 3. Speaking of which, I only wear flat, comfortable shoes now and it’s been life changing.
📚 4. It’s Banned Book Week in the UK and US, which was created to shine a spotlight on books that have been banned in states or schools. Here are two of my favourites:
Banned Books I recommend: 1) The Handmaid’s Tale - dark but a classic. If you haven’t read before, you must. 2) It’s Perfectly Normal - My daughters LOVED this book when they were little!
🥣 5. Where to get great oatmeal: The Grand Cafe inside the Grand Hotel Europa.
Until next week.
xo, L
Two months. One project. Let’s go.
Join me for a 6-week co-working circle. For anyone who wants a burst of momentum to finish the year strong.
Hey friends!
Before the Christmas chaos kicks in, I’m running a small creative experiment called The Creative Workshop — a 6-week co-working circle for anyone who wants a burst of momentum to finish the year strong.
✉️ Each week — starting THIS MONDAY! — I’ll send a short email and/or video sharing what I’m working on, what I’ve learned, and an idea to keep us all moving. Think of it as a weekly creative accountability message in your inbox — encouraging, human and real.
💻 On Wednesdays, we’ll meet for a short Zoom session — a low-pressure space to share progress, ask questions, and cheer each other on. No critique, no prep — just a small circle of awesome women finishing a project before December gets crazy.
Spots are limited (around 8 people) so it stays small and real. I’m charging £50 for the 6-week session to ensure commitment. If this sounds good to you, hit reply and I’ll send details.
You don’t need to be a writer or an artist — just someone who wants to finish the year feeling awesome instead of scattered.
Some ideas (based on real-life examples… wink wink nudge nudge):
Get back into journaling
Brush up on your French
Sell your husband’s car parts on eBay
Create content for the newsletter you want to start in 2026
Think about (or daydream about) starting a new business next year
Put together a family cookbook (Christmas presents?!)
Learn how to use AI to feel more empowered in your day-to-day life
👀 I see you! I’m here for it. Let me know if you’re in.
Please forward this to any nice women you know. No haters.
xoxo,
Laurie
p.s. Zoom dates are the following Wednesdays:
Oct 15 · Oct 22 · Oct 29 · Nov 5 · Nov 12 · Nov 19
🕔 Time: we’ll find a quorum.
A New Beginning
A creative reset: new projects, books, and adventures ahead. Plus an audio recording!
I tried to record a video version of this newsletter. I don’t know why. It seemed like a fun idea at the time, but now I’m terrified and I simply cannot share it with you. But since I JUST SAID that I would do scary things, fine: Here’s an audio version.
A Little Life Update
Hello and welcome back to my newsletter! A lot has changed lately - and with it, this newsletter is getting a little refresh.
🪹 For one thing: I’m now officially an empty nester! But I really don’t like that phrase, so let me know if you have an a better one. The word “empty” nest just feels so … “empty” I guess? And actually, my new life feels expansive and exciting. Full disclosure - on the second day of my new, empty nest life I had a full-on existential crisis. (I have since recovered.) Granted, There are more hours in the day than I expected - and I don’t always know how to fill them! But that’s the exciting part - figuring out what comes next.
🏡 The first thing I did was move! We still live in London - but we moved from a traditional family home to a super cool loft-style flat. The light is amazing - it’s got a whole wall of windows that looks over the park and a glass ceiling that runs the length of the flat. It has a great vibe, and I'm loving it! My favourite thing to do is drink my morning coffee in front of the windows and day dream about books, travel and creative business ideas…
📩 Which brings me back to this newsletter! I don’t know exactly what comes next for me, but I know I want more. Maybe write another book? Maybe start a new business venture? Maybe get a job? I don’t really know! But rather than wait until I have it all figured out, I thought I’d bring you along for the ride.
Are you in a period of transformation?
Are you a new empty-nester and trying to figure out what comes next?
Or, maybe you’re like my beautiful niece who just had her first baby, and the thought of doing anything other than survive is laughable.
In any case, to paraphrase myself from two and half years ago: I’m writing to you, small-town girls with oversized dreams. And to you, women of a certain age. Starting something new feels scary and embarrassing. Let’s do it anyway. *
Current Projects
🌮 Family Favourites from Around the World — Several months ago I created and produced a cookbook—or rather - a recipe collection called Family Favourites from Around the World. It’s a beautiful hardback book which is essentially a collection of our favourite recipes based on all the places we’ve lived or travelled to extensively. I made it mostly for myself. But it turned out so well that I’ve decided to print several more copies and give them to family and friends for the holidays.
What I can't do is sell the book because I straight‑up stole the recipes and photos from the internet. I gave credit to the creators, but even so - I don’t have permission to use their words /images. Here’s the only part I can show you!
🌞 Notes from a Summer — I’ve started working on a new book! The working title is Notes from a Summer and I think it will be a collection of poetry, micro essays and photographs. Get this - I am co-creating it with my daughter, Sophia! It’s early stages so I can’t say more… but it feels fresh and exciting.
💌 Website and newsletter refresh — Here’s what I did this summer. Moving forward, I’m trying to make this newsletter something fun, easy and sustainable. I’ve even thought about having a video component… but not sure if I’m brave enough to pull it off! Maybe I make it private somehow? I don’t know. We’ll see.
What I’m Reading
📖 For pleasure
I’m almost finished with Summer Island by Kristin Hannah which has been fun and light. Next up: Bluets by Maggie Nelson, which reads like a series of short essays. Sasha just wrote a college essay about this book, which inspired me to pick it up again.
📚 For research
Which, it should be said, is also reading for pleasure! But I guess this difference is, when I’m reading for research I don’t necessarily read every single page. When I’m reading for research I’m skimming for information and inspiration:
Some books inspiring Notes of Summer
Personal & Travel
🇨🇿 And finally in Personal/Travel news - I’m going to Prague this month to visit some friends and family. I go to Prague with some regularity - if you want to see my Prague recommendations, they are here.
🇬🇧 Later this month, Sasha will come home for fall break! Which means I’ll be falling back into mom mode - cooking all her favourite meals and doing fun London-y things.
🇫🇷 Then at the end of the month, I think I’ll make a return trip to France to finish moving some of our things down there. I told the manager of the storage unit that I only needed the space for a few months and he said: Yeah, that’s what they all say. You’ll be here at least 3 years. And I had to laugh because that’s all I needed to hear. Now I’m determined to prove him wrong!
This was a long post - the next one will be shorter, I promise! :)
xo, L
The Berkshires, CT and NYC
One line a day, one day at time: A trip through The Berkshires, Connecticut and New York.
Monday - After an emotional goodbye at Vassar, we drove 2 hours north and east, deep into the heart of the Berkshires. We’re staying with friends in their gorgeous mountain cabin. By the time we arrived, it was late and pitch black, so we lay outside on the deck and watched the stars until we got cold.
Tuesday - Today we drove into town to get sandwiches for lunch and I had to stop the car in the middle of nowhere so that chickens could cross the road. True story! Yes I asked my friend Why are the chickens crossing the road? and Yes, he said To get to the other side! Absolutely trues tory. Later, while we were eating our sandwiches on the deck and listening to the silence, we heard a tree fall in the woods.
Wednesday - I drove over the mountains and through the woods to get to Albany and pick up sophia who came up from the city. We stopped on the way home and got groceries, and when we got home, we prepared an asian feast for dinner: Fried rice with terriyake tofu, roasted veggies and peanuts. Also potstickers, egg rolls and kimchi. And some wine. And chocolates. We ate dinner in the screened in porch and we laughed and talked and told stories and it was brilliant. Exactly what we came for and exactly what life is about i think. :) Then we played three games of fooseball and it was outrageiously stressful and hilarious! We had all worked up a sweat, so we went back outside, laid down on the deck and watched the stars until we felt small and calm.
Thursday - Today I was almost eaten by an ACTUAL BEAR. We were walking along the trail, minding our own business, chattering away and as we rounded the bend in the trail, we saw a baby bear cub, sitting on the benSch in front of a lake. She saw us, made eye contact with me (!), then lumbered off the bench to come say hi. We immediately backed up and got the hell out of there. We hightailed it to the nearest farm house and walked home by the main road. Jesus God Almighty, that is the last time I take a walk in the woods.
Friday - Drove to Connecticut last night to hang out with K before heading to New York. Their house is so all-American beautiful that they often get requests from film companies who want to shoot scenes there. We took walks, ate pizza and dunkin donuts and laughed our faces off watching hilarious movies. I did not see a bear, so it was a good stay.
Saturday - Another travel day: Connecticut —> Poughkeepsie (to return the car —> train to NYC. Checked into The Moxy Lower East Village, then went out for the night! Dinner at Behemian Spirit (of course, and I’m sorry, but it was disappointing) and then went to 59E59 to see Gene and Gilda which was spectacular.
Sunday - Very cool brunch at The Roxy hotel lounge, followed by a long stroll through Soho. Then I went to Queens to watch Sophia work/interview some performers at a theater festival. Then had THE BEST DINNER I’ve had in a very long time at Planta Queen.
6 Books for Creative Inspiration
These books sit on my desk at all time. Collectively they serve as my personal Board of Directors for all my creative projects.
These books sit on my desk at all time. Collectively they serve as my personal Board of Directors for all my creative projects.
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear — Elizabeth Gilbert - creativity doesn't require suffering, and you don't need permission or approval to make things.
The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity — Julia Cameron - Morning pages and artist dates—Cameron's 12-week program for unblocking your creative self. It's equal parts permission slip and kick in the pants.
The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life — Twyla Tharp - Tharp, a legendary choreographer, makes the case that creativity is about discipline, not divine inspiration. Show up, do the work, build the habit—the rest follows.
The Creative Act: A Way of Being — Rick Rubin - Less about making art, more about becoming the kind of person who can receive it.
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life — Anne Lamott - A no-bullshit guide to writing and life: take it one small step at a time, embrace the shitty first draft, and trust the process.
Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity - David Lynch - "Ideas are like fish. If you want to catch little fish, you can stay in the shallow water. But if you want to catch the big fish, you've got to go deeper."
A Week of Hibernation
I went to the lake house and here is what I did.
Artist: James MacKeow
I went to the lake house and here is what I did.
In the morning,
I drank coffee and watched
the lake turn from charcoal to turquoise.
I scribbled in my notebook
until my anxieties felt seen
and my mind got quiet.
I took Míša for a walk
by the lake
every morning
and every evening.
And in between,
I read book after book
after book.
That’s it, that’s everything.
That’s all I did.
Two of those days I felt like
a boring, waste of space
who will never amount to anything.
Three of those days I felt like
I was living my best life.
- LAURIE MUCHA
My Favourite Poets and Poetry Books
Poetry for people who think they don’t like poetry.
Kate Baer - What Kind of Woman, and the upcoming How About Now - Kate Baer writes about motherhood, marriage, and selfhood with a clarity that feels like someone finally saying the quiet part out loud. Her poems are short, sharp, and devastatingly honest—the kind you'll screenshot and send to friends.
Maggie Smith - Good Bones - This collection is anchored by its title poem, which went viral for good reason—it captures the bittersweet work of trying to make the world bearable for the people we love. I also loved Maggie’s memoir You Could Make This Place Beautiful.
Joy Sullivan - Instructions for Travelling West - Sullivan's debut is a meditation on landscape and what it means to keep moving forward. Her poems feel like they were written in transit.
Mary Oliver - Devotions - If you've never read Mary Oliver, start here. This retrospective spans fifty years of her work, offering her luminous observations on nature, attention, and living deliberately.
Ada Limon - The Carrying - Limón writes about bodies, desire, loss, and longing with a generosity that feels rare. The Carrying grapples with what it means to want something—a child, a life, a future—and what happens when that wanting goes unfulfilled.
The Poetry Pharmacy Collection - Think of this as your literary medicine cabinet. Compiled by poet William Sieghart, it prescribes poems for every emotional ailment—heartbreak, anxiety, boredom, joy. There are three in the series and I love them all!
Notes from Vassar College
A college drop off!
The Library at Vassar College
I could live in this room.
Vassar Atheneum at The Heartwood
International Students Welcome Day!
It’s all happening!
The oldest tree on campus.
A rainy day at The Heartwood
My morning routine.
Woodlands and wetlands surrounding Vassar Farm.
Curious deer roaming campus.
Evening in the dorm.
Vassar Chapel
Inside Vassar Chapel
xo
xoxo
By Wallace Stevens
One-Line-a-Day
Monday, August 18 -
London. I’m drowning in boxes, post-it notes and spreadsheets. I eat, sleep and dream this move. In fact, the only difference between being awake and being asleep is that when I’m asleep I’m not holding a clipboard.
Tuesday, August 19 -
Travel day! Somehow managed to pull myself out of the moving spiral to pack for this trip. We’re taking our baby girl to college! LHR —> JFK —> Poughkeepsie.
Wednesday, August 20 -
Poughkeepsie, New York - Vassar College! Today was an international admin day. We set-up Sasha with a US bank account and telephone number. Sounds simple, took all day. It rained all day, which didn’t dampen our excitement for move-in day. I’ve had three rootbeers and I’ve only been here for 36 hours.
Thursday, August 21 -
International student move-in day! Daniel wore so much Vassar gear that it looked like he was the coach of the baseball team. We hauled three giant suitcases and a dozen amazon boxes up three flights of stairs because the elevator was broken. Great dorm room with a nice view!
Friday, August 22 -
Explored campus (stunning) and stumbled into a gem of an art gallery - The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center.
Saturday, August 23 -
Took a 2+ hour hike through the woods and wetlands at Vassar Farm. Lunch from a taco truck, which was decent - but honestly, this region is set up for vegetarians to survive, not thrive. Came home and found an acorn in my bra.
Sunday, August 24 -
Walkway across the Hudson River! More walks around campus! More pizza! More rootbeer!
How long is your past, how far is your future
Thinking about what comes next.
Laura Battle, Collection of the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, Vassar College
Hi friends! I’m at Vassar College this week, dropping off my youngest daughter and helping her get settled. There’s so much I could tell you about her journey to this specific place and time. Alas, she is a private person, so I’m authorised only to say this: I’m so proud of her!
Everyone keeps asking if I’m okay.
Reader, I am very okay. No shade to my mother friends who are sad and a little freaked out - but I feel happy and free as a bird. After all, we raised two kind, intelligent daughters who are reasonably healthy and well-adjusted. I’m so relieved! And frankly excited about what’s next…
Second half of 2025
We’re moving out of our family home in London and into a smaller, two bedroom loft-style apartment. We still need a London footprint for work purposes - but we’re happy to have something smaller and easier to manage. Our lake house in France will become the new “family” home.
Travel! Our travel schedule is no longer dictated by school breaks! In the next four months, I have trips planned to New York, Prague, France, Indiana and India. Yes, INDIA! I’m so excited.
Writing more books! I’ve got two book ideas in my head that are banging around and trying to get out. I think if I set my mind to it, I can finish one of them by Christmas.
First half of 2026
French! I’m looking into various French intensive courses. I’m embarrassed about how bad my French has become and I need to course correct.
The Haute Route! We’ve long daydreamed about this trip and it’s time to make it happen. The Haute Route is a multi-day, hut-to-hut trek through the mountains from Chamonix, France to Zermatt, Switzerland. We’ll do this in the summer, when the terrain isn’t so punishing, but even so this hike is no joke. I need to start training asap.
All of this has me asking myself - what is this blog about, now that my life is shifting? I’ve been struggling to keep up with weekly posts. I think mostly because I don’t like to write about my family/friends - and this summer has been all about family/friends.
So then what should I post about? Especially, when so much of my life moving forward will be about travel and creative projects…. Here’s what I’m thinking:
A Sunday photo dump. And if I have the time/energy for it - one line a day from my journal. Like instagram, but just for me.
Once a month: an update on my works in progress. What I’m working on, how it’s going. (Like this post!)
The overachiever in me would also like to post one poem a week, but that’s probably pushing it if I’m also trying to write a book before Christmas. So I will resist the temptation for now. Maybe do this in 2026?
Look at me! Making progress on my goals.
Xo, L
3 Novels to Read Before Travelling to Southern India
I’m going to Southern India later this year for a wedding! Here’s my reading list.
I’m going to southern India in a few months! Here’s my reading list. Why are two these books over 700 pages long? That’s just crazy.
The Covenant of Water by Rohinton Mistry - By all accounts, this book is supposed to be amazing, but seriousl?! It’s over 700 pages long ( 36 hours on audible). I’ll need to get both formats so I can get through it more quickly.
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy - This was my mother-in-law’s favourite book - now feels like a good time to pick it up. If I like it, I’ll also read Mother Mary Comes to Me by the same author.
*A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry - This one is not set in Southern India, but it’s considered to be the great Indian novel for the 20th century so it feels like it should go on the list.