*This blogpost is an expansion of my posts on social media (IG and FB).

If you think you saw me at Alias Entertainment Expo this past weekend... Yes, I was there with my partner, my cousin and my niece. 2025 marks the 15th anniversary of Alias - I remember attending in the early years when it was a much smaller event and have been so happy to see them grow year to year. My partner and I share a deep love for manga, anime and Japanese culture - attending these types of events is just one way we can celebrate this. 

This year there has been a week of events and we have been able to attend both the first day of their Golden Week, and the first day of the Expo. Golden Week opened at SouthPark, on Saturday 26th July, with their Anime Festival featuring a movie screening of Spirited Away, followed by the Cosplay Parade. There were also vendors with merch on sale, giveaways and trivia, and the Casual Cosplay Contest. I was thrilled that it was held in South Trinidad as this made it easier to attend. 

We weren’t able to attend any of the events during the rest of the week but we made it to the first day of the Expo, Saturday 2nd August. What made it extra special this year was being able to share the experience with my cousin and her daughter. We were able to meet Reed Shannon (voice actor of Ekko from Arcane) and Kinpatsu Cosplay (cosplayer and crafter from Canada), dress in yukata thanks to Hachidori Kai and the Japanese Embassy, try our hand at archery thanks to the Elite Archery Club, interacted with so many artists and crafters, and overall had a good time.

I am often told by people that they don't have time to "practice yoga". It is curious to me because it tends to mean that they cannot make time to do something for themselves, to learn how to manage self, or to take care of self.

Yes, our yoga practice can be that time spent in a class learning tools to breathe better, strengthen the self, connect to heart, and quiet the mind. Our practice can also be:

🔸that time spent observing our internal and external balance while standing in line

🔸those moments of interacting with others with care, curiosity, and kindness

🔸building awareness of how we manage our breath and the level of our energy in different spaces and circumstances

What does your yoga practice look like today?

At Alias this year my practice included those three points above! Happy that my family and I were able to attend this year, impressed (as always) by the creativity and skills of all involved, and thankful for the interactions we had.

peace,