Okay, I’m ready to pack my backpack after watching this video… (This couple spent five weeks traveling through Chile and Patagonia.)

One of my favorite hotels is the literary themed Hotel Rex in San Francisco.  It’s a small boutique hotel with a fantastic 1920′s – ’30s vibe.  They have a cozy library bar that serves a free glass of wine every night, live jazz, an old movie night, inspiring excerpts from books painted on the walls, and an adorable 20 lb. resident pug that hangs out on the couch by the front desk. (His name is Maximo.)  The staff is always very friendly and helpful too.  The Joie de Vivre hotel group always seems to “get it” and after reading this post on Tim Ferriss’s blog, now I know why.

The CEO, Chip Conley has learned to become a “Chief Emotions Officer”.  He explains by using baggage as a metaphor, “Countless times I’ve seen people show up at our hotel front desks with all kinds of baggage, and only some of it the physical kind… Lugging that baggage around for years is noticeable in how that person shows up at the metaphorical front desk of life.  If you are a Chief Emotions Officer, you are more aware of all the bags you’re carrying and how to open your luggage up and make sense of what’s inside.”

In his new book, Emotional Equations, he uses equations (such as Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness) to help make sense of emotions that are weighing you down.  He says, “Creating your own internal logic regarding your emotional baggage will allow you to carry a lighter bag… one that’s eminently easier to unpack.”

Now I love Hotel Rex even more… (By the way, remember this old post?)

Photos:  My own (except for the one of Maximo)
Source:  Four-Hour Workweek

Damn, I love this.

Looking at satellite images of Earth never gets old.  This is a new composite image taken on January 4, 2012.  At 8,000 x 8,000 pixels, it’s the highest resolution photo ever taken of Earth.  Is it gorgeous or what?

Wish I could be a space photographer!

(‘Blue Marble’ shot with the Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite instrument (VIIRS) on NASA’s newest Earth-observing satellite: Suomi NPP.)

Source:  Gizmodo, NASA Goddard Flickr

(Me with my mom on the porch… was a windy night!  Shot with the Fuji Instax (my new toy!)

(Photos below are via Instagram.  You can find me @leahsak)


Happy New Year!!!  Hope you all had a great time over the holidays!  Scott and I went to Florida to visit the fam.  We had a fun time hanging out with everyone and making our Greek family recipes.  We also made our way over to Orlando to spend the day at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  I’m such a huge HP fan… photos coming soon!

So I was tagged by Betül from Ballad of Seasons to answer 11 questions and to also include 11 things about me.  I’ve also tagged 11 other bloggers at the end of the post… can’t wait to read your answers!

RULES:
1.  You must post these rules.
2.  Each person must post 11 things about themselves on their blog.
3.  Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
4.  You have to choose 11 people to tag and link them on the post.
5.  Go to their page and tell them you have linked him or her.
6.  No tag backs.
7.  No stuff in the tagging section about ‘you are tagged if you are reading this.’  You legitimately have to tag 11 people.

11 THINGS ABOUT ME
1.  I collect matchbooks, stickers, and small decorative dessert plates.
2.  I’m part of a big fat Greek family (3 sisters, 1 brother, and 12 nieces and nephews) and I’ve always lived in warm climates near the ocean.  I was born in Florida and moved to southern California 10 years ago.
3.  I was a member of the Orange County Astronomer’s club for a year.
4.  For some reason I have a really great memory.  I usually remember specific details about things that people would normally forget with time (like what color shirt a friend was wearing at a party 10 years ago).  Weird.
5.  My new liquor drink of choice is a Hemingway daiquiri (when it’s made right).
6.  I’ve hated dolls and the color pink since the day I was born.
7.  I love trekking and camping in the mountains just as much as I love getting dressed up and going out to dinner in Vegas.
8.  Somewhere in the gene pool I acquired some pretty great coordination skills and can pick up a new sport (or video game) quickly.
9.  Some people call me a dude because I’ve always liked “dude-like” things, but I’m not a dude, I’m just myself.
10.  Small talk has never come naturally to me and I tend to keep to myself, but I’m always working to change that.  Also, I never get caught up in gossip.
11.  I make a mean minestrone soup!

Betül’s Questions:
1.  Describe yourself with three words and give three words that describes the person you want to be (are they the same three? lucky you!)
Explorer, Open-minded, Honest…….. Fearless, Patient, Photographer!

2.  Tea or coffee?
I love fresh brewed white or oolong tea.

3.  Who is the most beautiful woman on earth? and the most elegant one?  same for men?
I really admire my mom!  She’s beautiful inside and out.  She’s the most loving, altruistic, fun, optimistic, and stylish woman I know.  Also, my other half, Scott, is such a stud.  He’s an incredibly positive person and helps me see that anything is possible.  Also, Grace Kelly always oozed elegance in all the old Hitchcock films and I really miss Paul Newman.  What a man.

4.  Have you ever been deeply affected (positif or negatif) by a movie?  which one?
E.T.!  I love everything about it… the story, the music, the characters, the lighting, the humor… and I cry every time during the scene where E.T. “dies”.

5.  What would be the best movie to watch on Christmas (doesn’t have to contain Jingle Bell tones, can be anything)
The original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (or Christmas Vacation).

6.  What are your recent three favorite blogs? (honest answer please)
Seth Godin, Yatzer, Foodgawker

7.  What is your must-have in your hand bag?
Alba organic lip balm in pineapple flavor and a camera.

8.  Paris or New York?
Paris (but I love NY too!)

9.  Can you inspire us with a photo?  (just put a photo of your choice as an answer)

10.  What do you want to do/become before you die? (hm. is it a hard question?)
I want to continue to learn, grow, and challenge myself to become a better person every day.  There’s lots of traveling on my list too… Antarctica, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, and outer space just name a few places!  Speaking of, can I borrow $200,000?

11.  What are you hoping for yourself in 2012?  Tell us three of your resolutions.
Well, I’m in the middle of a transitional phase.  After seven years of having my own biz as a jewelry designer, I’ve decided to leave it behind so I can dive head first into something I love – photography!  I love to cook and I’m dying to learn how to make some gourmet French dishes.  Also, I’m going to make more conversation with strangers (something I normally don’t do).

My questions for the 11 people I’ve tagged below:
1.  List 3 words and a color that describes you the best.
2.  If you had to pick one, which Muppet would you be?  Why?
3.  Share three different photos from your travels and tell us a little about them.
4.  What’s your favorite video game of all time?
5.  What is one accomplishment you are most proud of doing in 2011 and what is one thing you’d like to accomplish in 2012?
6.  What is the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
7.  What are your “go-to” pair of shoes right now?
8.  What was the last thing you bought online?
9.  What are three websites that you visit on a regular basis (besides Google, Twitter, FB)?
10.  Winter or Summer?
11.  What are you most passionate about?

I’m breaking the rules and tagging 12 people:  Lea Barlow, Lea Michalopoulos, Maryse Coziol, Kimia Kline, Jennifer Chong, Katherina, Elissa Braun, Karen & Valerie, Krystal, Ashley, Gregory Han, and Scott Gold

I’m a big fan of celebrating the New Year.  It’s a holiday that can be universally celebrated.  Even though the date is arbitrary and varies by culture, it’s a great time as any for a fresh new start.  One of my favorite things to do is look through all my photos from the year and relive all the things I did.  But at the same time, I make note of all the things I didn’t do so I can plan for them in the new year.  I’m not just talking about planning trips I want to take, but I also look at ways that I can grow and become a better person.

When I’m looking for a gift, I like to give something useful and creative.  Since Velokova is all about exploring many things, I made this gift list with the Renaissance woman in mind.  There’s a little bit of style mixed in with a little bit of nerdiness, adventure, and fun.  I’ve added most of these items to my Amazon shop, all you have to do is click on the item above to buy!  Cheers!

This is a girl who loves extremes.  Annelie Pompe holds the world record in the Variable Weight Apnea class for free-diving to an incredible depth of 126 meters (413 ft).  In May, she also became the first Swedish woman to climb Mt. Everest form the north side.  But wait, there’s more… she’s also a freelance writer, photographer, personal trainer, and motivational speaker.  Girl’s got it.  I was dying to find out more so I caught up with her for an interview about her thoughts on life, dealing with fear, and her favorite eats!

Have you always been adventurous?
Yes, as far back as I can remember, and as from what my mother has told me, I’ve always liked challenges and all kinds of adventures. I don’t believe that all adventures have to be dangerous or extreme in any way. It can be an adventure to walk out into your nearby woods or just trying to walk in high heels without falling over.

What made you fall in love with free diving?
I was already in love with the sea, and wanted to be closer to it, so free diving wasn’t far away.  I love the feeling of freedom and weightlessness it brings to be in the sea without any equipment but your own body.  It’s a great challenge for my mental strength and it also allows me to get closer to the marine life.

Can you describe what it is like being 126 meters deep into the ocean?
It’s an amazing feeling knowing I’m so far away from civilization and so alone with the sea.  There’s a lot of pressure at that depth so it feels like the sea is giving me a great big hug all over.  But I’m also very focused because I know I have to make it back up to the surface, and I know it’s a very hard and strenuous swim.

How many hours a week do you train?  How do you train your body and lungs for both diving and mountain climbing?
In general I train about 25 hours a week including all yoga and breathhold training. I train differently for free diving and mountaineering, but both strengthens my lungs, and one sport helps the other.  I work a lot on my breathing technique and lung capacity in order to maximize the use of oxygen.  Yoga and meditation has been a very helpful part of my training. I put a lot of effort and time into sports psychology and mental training.

You mention on your website that free diving is the ultimate challenge for both body and mind. What do you do to prepare yourself mentally?
I work a lot at controlling my mind and my thoughts.  Panicking at depth while free diving is not an option, so you really have to be able to control your mind in the right direction.  I also use a lot of visualization techniques where I first go into deep relaxation and then visualize the whole dive in a very positive way.  By doing that I can convince my mind and body that I have already made the dive several times before the “real” dive.

Do you ever get scared in these extreme environments?  How do you deal with fear?
I often get scared, and I think it’s a normal and healthy reaction.  But sometimes fear is only inside the mind, and there’s really nothing to be scared of.  I’m scared of heights, but it didn’t stop me from summiting Mt. Everest I overcome fear by looking it into the eyes. When you look really deeply you will eventually see that there’s nothing there.  It’s also helpful to change the word “fear” to “respect”.  I have respect of heights.

Climbing to the top of Mt. Everest must have been an amazing experience.  What was the first thing you thought when you reached the top of the world?
It sure was a most amazing experience!  I wouldn’t mind doing it again.  I actually didn’t think much when I reached the summit.  It was so beautiful I just experienced it without thinking.  I thought of opening my backpack and getting the satellite phone out to call my family, but it was too cold and I would have frozen my fingers.  I wish we could have stayed longer, but it was -45 degrees at the summit so I was also thinking of keeping warm and staying focused for the long climb down.  Most of the accidents happen on the descent so, I really had to concentrate for hours at end.

What advice would you give to beginners who are training for their first big trek?
Walk up and down in hills with a backpack to strengthen your legs in a way that will be similar to the trek, and get used to carrying some weight on your shoulders.  It’s also very good to do some exercises for the abs and lower back.

What is something you’ve learned from climbing to the top of Mt. Everest (8,848 meters) that has helped you in life at sea level?
In comparison to Everest, all small things at sea level that can seem tough are really not that bad.  Being so close to death has given me more security awareness and appreciate life and all the small things in life.  I’ve also made some very good friends in my expedition that has made life at sea level even more wonderful!

You are also a motivational speaker and inspire people all around the world.  What motivates and inspires you?
It’s a positive circle, because I get motivated by inspiring and helping people to live their own dreams and become happier.  I also get inspired by people who make a positive change in the world around them.

What do you like to do on your time off from training?
I love traveling and like to go to new places as often as possible.  I also like to read books and I study interesting subjects.  Every now and then I take time of to go to meditation and yoga retreats.

What’s your favorite food?
I like Thai-food and Sushi.  I’m a vegetarian and like most vegetarian meals!

What are some of your favorite websites?
I try to not waste too much time on the web.  It’s so easy to get caught in websites and then just keep surfing.  I allow myself some 10 minutes to do that, but I mostly like websites about traveling and finding cheap tickets.  I use Facebook a lot, and I try to update my blog deepeverest.se as often as I can.

If you could have lunch with anybody, past or present, who would it be and why?
I’d like to have lunch with the first Buddha, 2500 years ago.  I’d like to ask him about what he taught and how it could be helpful for the humanity today.  I’d ask him to stay in the present with me

If you could go back in time, is there anything you would have done differently in your life?
I don’t believe in regrets.  I think I’ve learned something from everything I’ve been through.  But if I could change something, I would have spent more time with my family when I was younger instead of selfishly looking for new things to do and see all the time.  Family is very important.

When you travel, what do you never leave home without?
A teddybear and a multitool.

What’s the next adventure on your list?
I will be in the world championships in free diving in Greece in September and hope to do some adventurous dives there.  Next year I hope to climb some more mountains.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Remember the power of the mind can make big changes.  When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.  Please take time to leave your house or office and get out into the nature and wilderness to experience some real peace.

Thank you, Annelie!

Catch up with Annelie on the web:
Website:  AnneliePompe.com
Twitter:  @anneliepompe
Blog:  deepeverest.se

(Photos:  Provided by Annelie)

My friends and makers of the ultimate premium sandal for the ocean minded, Olukai, just released a new inspiring series called ‘Talk Story’.  Talk story is all about slowing down and taking the time to share ideas and stories with the people around you.

I’m so honored to be a part of this site!  My story, “Do You Dream or Do You Plan” was featured and I also helped my other half, Scott, shoot the videos in Hawaii.

You can jump in and check it out here.

I instantly gravitated toward the book 3-Minute Einstein by Ivy Press at Barnes and Noble the other day.  It’s a quick biography of Einstein’s life and theories done in a creative way.  I think I’m going to have to go back and get it.

I came across this site on PBS that features him and loved what he said about his work, “The daily effort comes from no deliberate intention or program, but straight from the heart.”  Not only did he have the mind, but his heart was completely in it too.  He truly loved what he did.

(Here’s a 1-minute explanation of E = mc² by another one of my favorite scientists and theoretical physicist, Michio Kaku.)

p.s. nerd’s the word.

New Yorker cartoonist, Liza Donnelly, represents what Velokova is all about.

From birth we’re brought up to believe that girls are meant to be soft, fragile, and love the color pink… (and if you’re the opposite you’re considered a tomboy).  People love to label each other….. I say ‘eff that’ and be true to yourself and follow your heart.

In this TED video, she talks on women changing the rules.  Who says girls have to like pink and play with dolls?

Source: TED

What will you do in 2011 to challenge yourself, learn, and grow?

We always hit Office Depot and buy one of those gigantic dry erase calendars so we can plan out our entire year easily.  If you don’t plan, it will just be a dream. To kick off 2011, I put together this New Year’s gift guide for the adventurous girl in lieu of the usual holiday gift guide.

Hope you are all having a fun holiday!  Happy New Year!

Moleskin Journal – $12

Blue Makeup Bag – $18

Yellow Travel Case – $40

Olukai Sandals – $60

Moon Print – €50.00

Icebreaker Merino Wool – $90

Amazon Kindle – $189

14KGold Globe Charm – $195

Patagonia Down Parka Jacket – $229

GoPro Camera – $260

Standup Paddle Board – $895

Earthwatch Manta Ray Expedition – $2795