Everything She Wants

The summer solstice is the longest day of the year. I t's an opportunity to appreciate and bask in sunlight and to nurture your inner glow.   Yoga is a great way to tune inward and tune out the internal and external chatter. To help you focus,  Carolan Hoffman, yoga instructor and f ounder of  Hot Spot Dupont  in  Washington, D.C., offers five  yoga poses you can do throughout the summer, to stay uplifted and inspired. 1.  Triangle Pose  - Grounding yet energizing. Stimulates and invigorates the spine.  How : Stand with legs open and arms stretched out. Wrists in line with ankles. Bend knee and lower hips. Place elbow at the inside of knee and both arms stretched apart.  Heart is open, torso stays lifted. Breath calmly through the nose. Hold the pose for 20 seconds. Repeat on left side. 2.  Chair Pose  - Exhilarating and stabilizing. Promotes a harmonious inner glow. How : Stand with feet hip width...

Everything She Wants celebrated the longest day of the year with thousands of other yoga enthusiasts at Solstice in Times Square: Athleta Mind Over Madness .  Yes, we did yoga smack dab in the middle of Times Square.  It was an exhilarating and unforgettable experience. For several hours, busy New Yorkers quieted their collective monkey mind and were one nation united under the sound of ohm . Photos courtesy of Athleta Before the class, Athleta sent me a couple pieces of its cool, comfortable and breathable yoga workout wear -- the flexible and lightweight  Magnolia Pant  made with organic cotton and spandex and the trendy Zip-Line Tank (available in vibrant summer colors including Tart Apple Heather, Hibiscus Heather and Neptune Green Heather). Athleta Zip-Line Tank. Athleta Magnolia Pant

This year, the first day of summer -- known as the Summer Solstice -- is June 20, 2012.   Everything She Wants plans to celebrate the longest day of the year in New York City with a free evening yoga class in Times Square sponsored by Athleta. But with a weather forecast for temps close to 100 degrees, I plan to apply plenty of my favorite sunscreens; the paraben-and-fragrance-free  Kiss My Face Sun Spray Lotion, SPF 30 (available at Whole Foods Market)  on my body and LaRoche-Posay Anthelios 45 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid Broad Spectrum SPF 45 as a facial moisturizer . Use a broad spectrum sun screen. Both products have "broad spectrum" coverage, which means they protect against UVB (short solar rays that cause burning and skin cancer) and UVA (long solar rays that cause skin cancer and wrinkles).  If a sunscreen doesn't say broad spectrum or UVB/UVA protection, then ease on down the aisle to find one that does. And when it comes to SPF ratings (sun protect...