2nd Avenue – yoga, writing, cooking, and whatever else catches my fancy

Mindfulness for busy (and worried) times

A tidy up of my computer (spring cleaning of sorts) unearthed a video I recorded when we lived in England — a five-minute body scan and mindful breathing practice to help with feelings of anxiety and worry.

The bedroom’s floral wallpaper was not our choice (although I liked it better than the slightly shimmery brocade-style one in the living/dining room), but it makes an appropriately fussy contrast to a meditation aiming to calm anxiety and slow an over-worked mind.

Shedding winter

January and February were colder and snowier than usual in Copenhagen. It felt like proper winter — or at least more wintery than England or Vancouver.

Laura holds out a mitten-ed hand to be tucked into her parka cuff

Heavy duty winter wear was pulled out of storage. Tractors were fitted with ploughs. Bike lanes were cleared and salted, often far earlier than sidewalks (if pedestrian pathways were cleared at all). Cross country skiers relished not having to travel to Sweden. Children went sledding down Denmark’s negligible hills. Neighbour kids built a make-shift ramp on the driveway to the building’s underground parking. And the snow from the above ground parking lot was piled into a dirty mound taller than my head.

Although the temperatures still aren’t breaking into double digits, the snow and ice are melting. Tiny snow drops and anemone are popping up. Chunky knits and bulky mitts have been packed away. Kayakers far hardier than we are have returned to paddling. Spring is creeping in.

When was the last time you did nothing?

I taught a deliciously slow and well-propped yin/restorative community class yesterday evening at Hot Yoga Østerbro in Copenhagen. The last-Friday-of-the-month session offers an alternative to Fredagsbar (the Danish end-of-the-work-week evening tradition of drinking with colleagues or fellow students), although I did serve a spicy ginger rooibos tea afterwards.

As we chatted after spending 60 minutes doing a total of four poses* (plus savasana, of course), the idea of rest as distinct from sleeping or downtime like reading a book or watching TV came up.

“When was the last time you did nothing for 15 minutes?” I asked.

My Favourite Reads of 2025

Scrolling through covers of the books I read in 2025

I read a lot in 2025, more than I do in a typical year. I put that down to the aimlessness that often accompanies a relocation, plenty of time in transit, and a wealth of waiting.

Looking through the 98 books I finished last year, I can’t say I’m pleased to have spent time with all of them. About a dozen stand out as ‘meh’ or worse — and that’s on top of the eight titles I did not finish (or DNFed).

My aim for this year is to quit books earlier and more often, all in pursuit of making more space for books I really enjoy — like the dozen or so below.

Season’s Greetings from Steveson

For the first time in over a decade, I’ve spent the holiday season in my hometown. It’s been a very special Christmas and we’ll arrive back in Denmark just in time to celebrate New Year’s Eve — or, more realistically, crash into a jet lagged sleep.

Ring in the new year with rest

Teaching my final yoga class of 2025 last week was bittersweet, as I’d expected it would be. The yin practice at Østerbro Hot Yoga was slow and deep, with a candlelit yoga nidra and savasana. My favourite way to end a class and very fitting for the season.

December calls for cosiness (the famous Danish hygge!) and soft lights and finding comfort. More than ever this time of year, I believe in slowing down and stepping out of the frantic pace of life with all its stressors and worries and demands. And, if you’re in the Copenhagen area, I’m offering two special ways to do that in January 2026.

The Great Round Pancake Taste Test

Pre-made æbleskiver (round Danish pancakes served at Christmas) in a baking dish

If you’ve been in Denmark around Christmas, you’ve almost certainly eaten æbleskiver. These pancake-like globes are ubiquitous at Christmas markets and frequently paired with gløgg (Scandinavian mulled wine).

Using a buttermilk batter, they’re cooked in spherical pans and flavoured with cardamom and lemon zest. For those of us without the necessary cooking equipment or desire for home-baking, they’re also widely available in supermarket freezers. Inspired by Epicurious’ Taste Panel series, I decided to taste-test (and rank) as many premade æbeskiver as I could get my hands on — with surprisingly uninspiring results.