Summer was Made for Topless Road Trips

jeep love

Have you met this lovely lady?  (The partially-topless one behind me.) Last week Jason and I took her on vacation!  We didn't have the kids so we felt this called for a getaway.  At the start of the week, I felt I had too much on my plate to go just yet, so I put in some looong days on Monday and Tuesday and woke up Wednesday ready to go... somewhere.

We are often last-minute vacation planners, and I must say, in my experience, it is NOT cheaper to travel this way.  Flights to anywhere were looking pricey.  We considered the Maine coast, but the weather forecast was gray and rainy.

We ended up deciding on Vermont.  The sun was shining.  We took the top off the Jeep, and began the gorgeous drive.   I have to say the ride was so lovely, we almost didn't need a destination.

swimsuit flannel

(I am loving this swimsuit from ASOS - they come in bra sizes you guys! And this flannel from H&M.)

We ended up spending the first night in a little farmhouse B&B waaay off the grid.  The kind of rural location where there are SO many more stars than you could ever see in the city.  I stood out in the dirt road with my head tilted back just staring and staring up at them.

There wasn't a single sound but crickets and the frogs in the nearby pond.  I couldn't capture the stars with a camera, but I could capture the sounds of the evening, so I took a little video that I later posted to Instagram, below, just so you could hear it.

This led to a discussion about WHY do we not have a way to record and share smells when we are so fancy about sharing images and sound?  I would have loved to store up the smell of summer night in the country.

A video posted by Andrea Isabelle Lucas (@barresoul) on Aug 25, 2015 at 8:35pm PDT

vermont waterfall

sterling pond smugglers notch

The next day we set off on the road again.  We saw beautiful things, met nice people, and spent a night in Stowe.  We hiked up to this pond, at the summit of a mountain.

jason

vermont farm house

I played a bit with a new camera lens.  And we hit the road again.

montreal

old montreal

We spent the last two days at a hotel in Old Montreal.  I LOVE this city!

Somewhere between Vermont and Montreal, I got sick of lugging my fancy camera around and only snapped lazy iPhone pictures from that point on.  (But I did post a couple photos from my last visit over here!)

We ate lots of great food, visited an art museum and spent many hours just walking around the city exploring.

Although we could have stayed another day, I felt ready to come home on Sunday, and we did.  It's been a busy week back home with the kids and the studios.  I would be lying if I said it doesn't get stressful!  Vacations are essential.

P.S. You can come on vacation with me, Jason, and both of my kids this fall.  Is that weird?  Who cares!  Lindsey James, Amy Sinclair and I are leading a yoga, barre and aerial yoga retreat to the beautiful island of St. Croix this November!  It is surprisingly affordable, and there's even a few days left to get Early Bird pricing.  Significant others are welcome, and don't worry -- no one will force them to do yoga or barre if they'd prefer to just hang out by the pool.  To join the fun, visit our Barre & Soul Workshops and Retreats page.

My Favorite 'Secret' Hidden Gems of Boston

Spicy Margaritas, karaoke and hula hoops... these are a few of my favorite things...

Thanks MySecretBoston.com for asking me to share some "secret" Boston spots that I love!

Ready to discover some hidden gems and maybe find a new favorite of your own?

Read the article here!

15 Unconventional Facts About Me

Do you ever say yes to something when you really want to say no?  Isn't it the worst?

I have a hunch we are better at spotting this on the small scale (I wish I'd said no to this event,) than the large scale, where it really matters (I wish I'd said no to this major life choice.)  Some of those major life choices just seem predestined, handed down to us in such an expected way that we forget we have a choice at all.

When we remember we have a choice, we are empowered.  When we choose something "unconventional" or "nontraditional," we exercise power over our own lives.

I didn't write this list to brag or show off, although I can see how it might come off that way.

I simply believe that by being honest about the ways I've chosen to do the unexpected, it might help someone else feel OK about making the "weird" choice.  (Or being in the "weird" situation, as not all of these are conscious choices exactly.)

So I guess what I'm saying is... Here's to being unconventional!

OK, here goes:

1.  I had my first child when I was 19.
2. I've been with my partner, Jason, almost 8 years.  We don't own property together.  We don't share any bank accounts.  We're not married. We don't ever plan to get married.  However, I would still like to come to your wedding. I think they're fun!  Please invite me.
3. Jason and I don't have any kids together, and we don't plan to, but he has been around since my youngest was 1 year old and my oldest was 7.
4. After my divorce, I didn't go back to my maiden name. I chose a new last name from my maternal grandmother's side of the family.
5. Jason, the kids, and I all have different last names.  So there are 4 on our mailbox.
6. I don't send Christmas cards. I think they're just a total pain at an already crazy time of year.  However, I like getting your Holiday cards, so please keep sending them.  If you want.
7. I didn't finish my bachelor's degree until I was 30. It took me 10 years and I changed schools and majors several times, until finally settling on a self-designed Women's Studies major from Lesley University.
8. I have performed in burlesque shows (for fun, and sometimes dressed as a dude) and worked at strip clubs (mainly to pay the bills when I was young and poor.)
9. I saved up and bought my own condo at age 22.
10. I don't have any tattoos.  It's a commitment thing.  However, I love your tattoos.  Very much.
11. I never dyed my hair until I was in my thirties and now I cannot stop putting rainbow colors in it.  In fact, I refuse to stop.
12. Highly mentholated products such as Altoids mints make me sneeze.  There's nothing anyone can do about it.
13. I have been through domestic violence.  It was awful.  Sadly, I don't think this is "unconventional," but talking about it definitely is.
14. I play the ukulele.
15. I consider myself a feminist, and enjoy using the "F" word shamelessly.  (I also enjoy saying "fuck."  It helps me express myself.)

You're still here?  Nice!  What fun facts don't I know about you yet?  Will you share them in the comments?

Also, would you like to see any of the topics above expanded into its own post?  Let me know!

My Top 5 Tips for Rainbow Color Hair

I would have LOVED to dye my hair crazy colors as a teenager, but my parents would never have allowed it! It wasn't until I was in my thirties that I finally went for it.  It's been four years now, and I haven't stopped.  In fact, I may be addicted.  (Fuchsia, purple and blue shown above. The blue is a little hard to see, but it was fun because it reminded me of Wonder Woman.)

Having tried a few things, I have a few tips that I thought I could share with you.

1// Go to a pro

Find someone you trust and who has done this before!  It is possible to do your own touch-ups when your color starts to fade (though I usually just stick with the salon) but for most people it will take some bleaching to get your hair light enough first, so go to a pro for this step at least.  I go to SHAG salon in Boston and oomph salon in Portsmouth, NH.  Make sure they use great products.  Most stylists I know seem to really like PRAVANA brand hair color.

2// Consider going with ombré highlights

This has worked well for me, especially since my hair is so dark.  If you've got dark hair, you'll need to lighten it in order to see the pretty colors.  Going with highlights means you don't have to bleach your whole head, and doing ombré means you don't go to the roots, so there's no need for frequent re-bleaching.  

I only go once, maybe twice a year to have my hair lightened (yes, actual bleach blonde highlights. I try not to look because it's alarming.)  Then the vibrant colors go on over that.  You only have to touch up your rainbow colors as they start to fade, every 4-12 weeks, but at least you don't have to continually be damaging your hair by bleaching it.  

Side note: the colors will actually be darker when they're fresh, and will get lighter and brighter through the fading process.  Your shower/towels/pillow cases/hats will never be OK again.  Be prepared to deal with this. 

3// Don't wash your hair too much

I try to only wash my hair every other day.  (Let's be honest, this is one of the main reasons I don't do hot yoga.  Excessive sweating leads to excessive hair-washing.)  You can use a dry shampoo on non-washing days, but I haven't found one I absolutely love.  You can also get creative with up-dos when your hair's not clean and shiny enough to wear down.  When you do shampoo, use a product that's made for colored hair, and it's a good idea to wash with COLD water, so less of your color will rinse away.

4// Put some of your hair color into your conditioner!

Have your stylist put some of the color into your conditioner.  Each time you wash your hair, leave the conditioner on for 5-10 minutes while you're in the shower.  This really extends the time in between touch-ups.

5// Have fun and don't take no B.S. from anyone

It's YOUR hair.  Have fun with it.  And really, it's JUST hair.  Let's not take ourselves too seriously.

Do you have other tips to share?  Questions?  Let me know in the comments!