A fall celebration in the heart of the Vermont mountains
"Life without chocolate is like love without passion."
Come celebrate the fall and renew your spirit with a weekend of nourishment for your body and soul. Join YogaJoe and friends on a restorative retreat comprised of vinyasa yoga, meditation, hikes, and nourishing meals by a gourmet chef with indulgences of decadent but healthy Dina’s Organic Chocolates.
Our yoga practices will challenge everyone (from novice to expert) to seek their highest potential in an appropriate and safe manner. This is an opportunity to approach your practice from a new perspective and become physically and mentally prepared for the coming holiday season. Fall is a time for strong spiritual energies. This retreat will give you the tools needed to live your life more abundantly in body, mind and spirit.
Your Hosts
Joe Somodi, Chef Matthew Wexler, and Nutritionist Dina Khader
Location
Good Commons Retreat in Plymouth Union, VT — at the crossroads of
Killington and Okemo ski resorts and the beautiful lakes of the Okemo Valley www.goodcommons.com
When
October 2nd - October 4th, 2009
Cost
| Before 5/1/09 | After 5/1/09 | |
| Loft Space: | $449 | $399 $100 off |
| Shared Room w/ 3 people: | $525 | $575 |
Private Room per Person: (2 people per room) |
$549 | $599 |
This is a retreat where everything will be taken care of for you.
All you need to do is show up. All levels welcome to attend and space is limited.
Yoga for Chocolate retreat includes
- Round trip transportation with one pick up in Manhattan and Westchester
- All meals: 2 Dinners, 2 Breakfasts and 1 lunch
- Four Vinyasa Practices (including restorative work)
- Two 30 minute Meditations
- Hiking excursion to the state park
- Nutrition seminar with Dina Khader
- Featuring Dina Khader's own line of healthy chocolates (Dina's Organic Chocolate)
- Truffle demonstration by Chef Matthew Wexler
- A portion of the proceeds from this retreat will go to the Whole Planet Foundation —
dedicated to helping families create prosperity. - Massage Workshop Lead by Whitney Christiano LMT
"Chocolate causes certain endocrine glands to secrete hormones that affect
your feelings and behavior by making you happy. Therefore, it counteracts depression, in turn reducing the stress of depression. Your stress-free life
helps you maintain a youthful disposition, both physically and mentally.
So, eat lots of chocolate!"
— Elaine Sherman, Book of Divine Indulgences
Proposed Itinerary (subject to change)
Friday, October 2nd
Complimentary transportation will be available to all yogis. Meeting locations will be established in both Manhattan and Westchester before we journey north to enjoy the lush fall scenery of Vermont.
Tentative pickup times: Manhattan 8am. Westchester 9am.
We will arrive at the newly renovated 4700 sq foot Good Commons retreat house in the early afternoon with enough time to settle in and prepare for our first yoga practice and meditation. This reflective practice will set the tone for the explorative theme of our weekend together. The rest of the afternoon will be free until our beautifully prepared dinner by our resident Chef Matthew Wexler. Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions, as we will be happy to try and accommodate. After dinner, Dina Khader will hold a nutrition discussion about the health benefits of chocolate.
Saturday, October 3rd
Our day will begin with an early morning guided meditation. Coffee and tea will be brewing for those who need a little pick me up. A nourishing breakfast will follow.
The late morning and afternoon is yours to enjoy and explore any of the optional adventures. Schedule a massage at the local spa, see the historic sites of the town or just hang out at the house and read that book you have wanted to finish. A planned group activity will be available for those who are interested. We’ll regroup in the late afternoon for our second revitalizing restorative practice. A phenomenal candlelight dinner, lovingly prepared by Chef Wexler, will commence after our practice, followed by the featured chocolate demonstration.
Sunday, October 4th
We’ll sleep in a little, but still arise early enough to come together as a community once more and flow in our final energizing and meditative practice. Breakfast will be served and then we will pack up with our memories, refreshed and ready for the next chapter of our lives.
"Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar in four pieces with your bare hands... and then just eating one piece"
— Judith Viorst
Accommodations
What's so good about Good Commons?
Good Commons is located in the village of Plymouth Union, Vermont, at the crossroad between Killington and Okemo ski resorts and the beautiful lakes of the Okemo Valley.
At the turn of the 20th century, Good Commons was a country store with a booming business selling groceries, households items and light fare to the village and many travelers making their way through the region. The Brown family took over the store in the 1930’s, added an ice cream parlor and sandwich shop, and raised their six children in the home over the next several decades.
Purchased by the current owners in 2006, Good Commons is now a 4700 square foot home that has just undergone a complete gut renovation combining ultra-modern amenities with the country tradition of rest and revitalization that has characterized this house for over 150 years. It is the perfect getaway for city slickers who want to have comfort and elegance within their country retreat.
Sleeping Arrangements
Bedroom 1 – 2 Single Beds - SOLD
Bedroom 2 – 2 Single Beds - SOLD
Bedroom 3 – Shared Private Room (sleeps 3) - ONE SPACE LEFT
Bedroom 4 – Full Size Bed - SOLD
Bedroom 5 – Shared Private Room (sleeps 3) - TWO SPACES LEFT
Bedroom 6 – King Size Bed - SOLD
Sleeping Loft – 7 single beds and one full size bed – 7 OF 9 AVAILABLE
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| Bedroom 1 | Bedroom 2 | Bedroom 3 | Bedroom 4 | Bedroom 5 | Bedroom 6 | Loft |
"After about 20 years of marriage, I'm finally starting to scratch the surface
of that one. And I think the answer lies somewhere between conversation
and chocolate."
— Mel Gibson in What Women Want
What is there to do in Plymouth Union, Vermont?
You will not be bored…take a peak here at all this area has to offer:
- Great artsy shops and boutiques in Woodstock, 15 miles away and antiques/pottery/vintage clothing
in Bridgewater 9 miles away. - If you are a history buff, enjoy a grand old time exploring some of the states’ historic and cultural heritage.
The Calvin Coolidge estate is a mile up the road with cute lunches, old buildings to tour and the cheese factory. - The Long Trail Brewery serves lunches and has tours-12 miles away.
- Buttermilk Waterfalls - Easy hike to gorgeous waterfalls. You can swim, lounge, play, picnic on falls — many will
spend a whole day enjoying the falls. - Town Beach at Echo Lake, you can rent kayaks and paddle boats for the day, bbq (bring your own charcoal),
concessions, sand boxes, swings. - Killington is also a great destination for golf and mountain biking.
- There is horseback riding 2 miles away at the posh Hawk Resort.
- 2 local spas to indulge in or have a massage right at Good Commons.
If you need more information about the area, I will be happy to send it to you.
Yoga for Chocolate Retreat Menu*
Friday Dinner
- Tapas – Good Commons Style
- Rosemary and Lemon Turkey Breast or Tofu
- Fennel and Orange Salad
- Roasted Cauliflower with Pine Nuts and Currants
- Grilled Potatoes, Peppers and Onions
- Tassajara Wheat Bread
- Assorted Cheeses, Nuts & Olives
Dessert
- Chocolate Fondue
Saturday Brunch
- Crepes with Butternut Squash and Mushrooms
(Baked Eggs as gluten-free alternative), served with Salsa Verde - Chocolate Chip Scones or Chocolate Chip Oat Bran Muffins
Fruit Salad - Uncommonly Good™ Granola with Greek or Soy Yogurt
Saturday Dinner
- Kale and Carrot Salad with Shallot~Ginger Vinaigrette
- Tamari Beef or Housemade Seitan
- Brown Rice with Cinnamon and Cocoa
- Stir-Fried Farmer’s Market Vegetables
Chocolate Demo
- Fudge Making 101
Sunday Brunch
- Uncommonly Good™ Gravlax
- Egg or Tofu Casserole
- Endive Salad with Cocoa-Spiced Walnuts & Cranberries
- Chocolate Quickbread
- Fresh Fruit
* Organic products used wherever possible. Menu subject to change pending availability.
“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”
— Charles M. Schultz
Your Hosts at the Retreat
Yoga Joe
YogaJoe’s approach to the practice of yoga is one of empowerment. He believes that your time on your mat will teach you about your life off the mat.
His classes will empower you through the postures, breath work and meditation. He will help you explore what you seek in life, no matter how big or small, and will offer an array of tools for you to reach your highest potential. He combines this work with humor and compassion in order to provide a realistic and well rounded experience. The goal is for you to walk away from each practice with a new understanding of yourself and new perspectives on life.
Through Sonic Yoga in New York City under his mentors Jonathan Fields and Lauren Hanna he became a Certified Yoga Instructor. Joe is also a certified Reiki practitioner. In his teachings, he continues to draw upon his own experiences as a former actor, film editor and TV producer.
Dina Khader
Dina Khader is one of New York’s most sought-after nutritionists. Trained in both Eastern and Western philosophies, Dina Khader has the background, training and experience to apply the most effective nutritional techniques to guide anyone to nutritional health and healing.
Dina Khader works one-on-one with each client to create a personalized, goal-oriented program that focuses on whole-body health and wellness while addressing existing health issues and drug-nutrient interactions.
There may be no food on earth with more universal appeal than chocolate. It has been used as a drink for kings, a symbol of love, a potent medicine, and even currency. Unfortunately, in recent times, chocolate lovers have found themselves stuck with a difficult choice: Chocolate that is tasty or chocolate that is healthy. Pioneering nutritionist Dina Khader disliked the fact that her clients had to make that choice. Combining her expertise in nutritional science and her love of gourmet chocolate, she developed a premium line of Organic, Fair Trade 74% dark chocolate, that has all the benefits of healthy chocolate, but a taste and texture that rivals the most
decadent chocolate delicacies.
Matthew Wexler
Matthew Wexler is a self-taught personal chef and food writer with the philosophy that our kitchen is an extension of our life. With over twelve years of restaurant experience, Matthew absorbed great culinary techniques, menu planning and regional influences from chefs and restaurateurs such as Bobby Flay, Zarela Martinez, Jean Joho and Alex Wohn. Matthew's food draws from classic worldwide recipes, with a focus on local ingredients and supporting farmers and food purveyors along the East Coast. Inspired by comfort foods from around the globe, his modern culinary interpretations and food stories will be one of the many highlights of your stay at Good Commons. Matthew's lifestyle writing will soon be featured on the new website,
Whitney Christiano
Whitney Christiano is a Licensed Massage Therapist in the States of Connecticut and New York. She pursued this career after she attended a yoga retreat and received her first Thai Massage. After experiencing the mesmerizing rhythm and relaxation she saw kind, loving touch as a vital service to others. She resolved to commit herself to bodywork full-time. Since that moment she has deeply enjoyed giving Swedish and Thai Massage, as well as assisting and tutoring at her alma mater, the Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy, where she received the highest award for public service to the community. Her practice as a Massage Therapist is heavily influenced by her daily breathing and yoga practice. While living at the Sivananda Vedanta Center in the Bahamas, she followed the lifestyle principles specified in the ancient yogic texts, and completed her yoga teacher training at the 200 hour level. Currently Whitney teaches privately, with children and people suffering from chronic pain and illness.
