safe and sound

when i first heard about the terrorist attacks in mumbai -- hotels bombed, tourists shot, hostages taken -- my first thought was: is there anyone i know who's in mumbai right now?

and just when i'd concluded that every visiting yogi was probably safely ensconced in some ashram somewhere, i read this facebook status update from maha yoga last thursday afternoon:

Thank you to all who have inquired as to Steve Ross' safety while he is in Mumbai. We have confirmed information that Steve is safe in his hotel under the protection of military and police.
We do not have any further details at this time but will do our best to update this site with news on his welfare and return to Los Angeles as soon as information is available.
In the meantime, please send your prayers to all those involved in this tragic situation.

this morning, another status update was posted:

Steve is perfectly fine and calm. He was so touched that everyone was concerned about him. He is comfortable and planning to return to LA in a couple of days.

along with that update was this CNN video of the release of hostages, including steve, from the oberoi hotel: Hostages depart hotel

and this short announcement about steve's status is now posted on the maha website:

We are very happy to announce that Steve Ross and his group have been evacuated from the Oberoi Hotel.
Our prayers go out to all those involved and especially to the family of Steve's friends Alan and Naomi Scherr who lost their lives during these tragic events.
Steve will return to Los Angeles at the end of next week.
With love - Maha Yoga


while steve regularly leads well-attended kirtans at maha, i have a feeling this next one (which was scheduled before his trip to india, by the way) is going to be particularly emotional for everyone who joins in. talk about a belated thanksgiving celebration!

WELCOME HOME Chanting with Steve - FRIDAY 12/5

Please help us gratefully welcome back Steve Ross from his trip to Mumbai, India. Join us for a beautiful evening of chanting guaranteed to open your heart. This is a donation based event. Wear comfortable clothing, bring a cushion to sit on and enjoy.

happy 90th guru-ji!

i recently received an invite to a birthday party that's coming up in a couple of weeks. although i've never met the celebrant, i've definitely heard of him -- BKS iyengar, founder of the iyengar method of yoga, will be turning 90 next month. and to mark this awesome milestone, the iyengar community will be doing 108 sun salutations on december 14th at the crack of dawn at their new location on la cienega.

here's the invitation:

Guruji (B.K.S. Iyengar) turns 90 on Sunday, December 14.
Help us celebrate 90 glorious years with 108 Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar) and chanting at the institute.

In Geeta Iyengar's words: "The sun-salutation is a part of daily religious prayer, which comes from time immemorial. Every one, along with offerings and prayers, saluted the sun, since Surya, the Sun God has a tremendous solar energy, which is a vital need for mankind."

Guruji's work has had an impact on nearly everyone practicing yoga in the world today - come help us celebrate his tremendous contributions to our lives!

What: 108 Sun Salutations and chanting at dawn for Guruji's 90th Birthday (B.K.S. Iyengar)
Surya Namaskar (Salutation to the Sun) led by Jim Benvenuto and chanting led by Eric Small
Where: IYILA Los Angeles, La Cienega Plaza; 18th Street & La Cienega, across the hall from LA Fitness. Please see the website for directions if this is your first visit: www.iyila.org
When: Sunday, December 14 at 6:30AM (please be on time for the sunrise)
Who: Open to all! Come practice one or 108 salutations and join us for chanting and community. For yogis from all disciplines to honor Guruji! All levels.

FREE!

Masala chai & sweets to follow!

yoga for the holidays

there are so many reasons why taking a yoga class during the thanksgiving holiday can be good for you:

1. physically challenging classes can help you burn off all those extra calories (and we know there's going to be lots of them!)

2. meditative classes can help you get centered before (or after) you have to deal with the relatives... ommmmmm....

3. fundraiser classes will give you the sense of satisfaction that you've helped someone needier than yourself. and here are some studios that'll be hosting them as well as their designated charities:
~ city yoga - project angel food
~ golden bridge yoga - himalayan kids orphanage in deradhun, india
~ rising lotus yoga - west valley food bank
~ santa monica yoga - westside food bank
~ yoga blend - project angel food

4. and best of all, FREE classes can help you stay within your holiday spending budget -- something to be truly grateful for! we have these teachers and studios to thank:
~ hala khouri at exhale center for sacred movement on wednesday
~ kelly wood at karuna yoga on thursday
~ chani nicolas at truyoga on wednesday
~ elyse briggs at yoga at the village on thursday


here's the list of holiday schedules that i've pulled in from websites and email updates. many studios will be open on thanksgiving day, so there's no reason why you can't take a class before your tofurkey feast :)

alive & well, hermosa beach

Thursday Nov 27 - All classes cancelled

ananda LA, santa monica

Thanksgiving - Center closed

angel city yoga, studio city

Angel City Yoga will be closed Thanksgiving Day!

the awareness center, pasadena

November 27th and 28th - CLOSED for Thanksgiving
Open on Sat. the 29th for regular classes.

back for yoga, el segundo

Back for Yoga will be closed on Thanksgiving but will have regular scheduled classes on Friday, Saturday and Sunday - a very nice way to relax and rejuvenate after a day of Thanksgiving celebrations!

black dog yoga, sherman oaks

Thursday Nov 27, 2008
~ 9:00a Sigrid Hatha Flow I-II
~ 9:30a Peter Hatha Flow II-III
~ 10:30 Maria Anusara II
Studio closes at noon

Our Regular Schedule resumes Friday

city yoga, west hollywood

Thanksgiving Day, Thursday Nov 27th
7:30-9:00am Mixed with Rebecca
9:30-11:00am Mixed with Anthony (all bird poses!)
All other classes are cancelled

Friday Nov 28th
8:30-10:00am Basics with Anthony
9:00-10:30am Mixed with Rebecca
10:30am-12:30pm SPECIAL CLASS: Burn the Bird Returns! with Noah and Tara - 2 hour Practice style class
$20 donation-all proceeds to charity
All other classes are cancelled

the core your perfect center, redondo beach

The Core will be closed November 27th - 30th...Happy Thanksgiving!

earth's power yoga, los angeles

We will be closed Thursday on Thanksgiving and then will reopen Friday for the 10:30 am class.
Saturday 10:30 am class and Sunday 10:30 am class.
No evening classes through the Holiday weekend.

exhale center for sacred movement, venice

Wednesday Nov. 26 12:30- 1:30pm
SHAKE YOUR BOOTY Gratitude Ritual with Hala Khouri
FREE!
Join Hala to dance, sweat, pray and meditate for all that you are grateful for in your life. This one hour ritual starts with yoga, then freeform dance into a deep meditation and savasana.

In gratitude, we will be holding a special class schedule on Thanksgiving Day:
8:30-10a Shiva Rea Lev 2/3
9-10:30a Hala Khouri Lev 1/2
10:30-12:15p Saul David Raye Lev 2/3
10:45-12:15p Ashley Turner Lev 1/2

free spirit yoga, long beach

There will be 2 classes on Thanksgiving Day:
9:30am-11:00am All Levels with Cindy
11:00-12:15pm Level 1 with Lonne
Sign up sheet at the desk
Normal yoga schedule Friday-Sunday

garden of yoga, woodland hills

We will be closed Wednesday and Thursday for the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Diana will be teaching an ALL LEVELS class on Friday, November 28th at 10 AM.
We will have a regular schedule on Sunday, November 30th.

glendale yoga, glendale

We will be closed on Thanksgiving November 27th. The rest of the holiday weekend will be as regularly scheduled

goda yoga, culver city

Thursday, November 27: Goda will be closed
Friday, November 28: 1 Class at 9 a - All Levels with Cheryl
Regular schedule will resume on Saturday, November 29.

golden bridge yoga, hollywood

Thursday, November 27 9:00 - 11:30 am
Thanksgiving Day Celebration with Gurmukh & Tej
Cost: $25/adv or $30/day of

Let the day of thanksgiving begin with playful, prayerful and powerful Kundalini Yoga, meditation, double gong and a bit of Thanksgiving dance!
Feast on our famous sourdough waffle breakfast and all the trimmings along with delicious yogi tea! Give thanks and blessings for the gift of your life.
Unveil the joy of gratitude in your heart!
A portion of the proceeds from this class will go to Himalayan Kids Orphanage in Deradhun, India.
This will be the only class offered this day. We will resume our regular schedule on Friday, November 28.

guerilla yoga, hollywood

THANKSGIVING DAY CLASS WITH TIFFANY FRASER
Tiffany teaches the annual Guerilla Turkey Class from 9-11 am at the Hollywood Dance Center. This special 2-hour class gets pretty stuffed (get it?) so arrive early, bring a towel (the oven gets hot) and work up an appetite.
And ... if you are off or have a half day on Wednesday the 26th, why not come to her Practice at 4 pm? Consider it an appetizer.

home simply yoga, santa monica

Thursday Nov 27 - All classes cancelled
Friday, Nov 28 - All classes cancelled

inner harmony yoga, san pedro

No classes Thanksgiving Weekend

iyengar yoga institute, los angeles

Thursday Nov 27
9:00-11:00am All Levels Sophie Boller
All other classes cancelled

karuna yoga, los feliz

Thanksgiving Day FREE Class w/ Kelly
9:30 - 11am
(1 class only Thanksgiving Day)

liberation yoga, los angeles

The class schedule for Thanksgiving Day is as follows:
8-9:30am - Arun Deva - All Levels
10:00am-11:30am - Jessie Diaz Perez - Level 1
11:30am-1:00pm - Ashley Albrand - Mixed Level Flow

lyfe yoga center, hermosa beach

Wednesday, November 26
6:45am Power Hour
8:35am Gentle Yoga

Thanksgiving Day Thursday, November 27
9:00am All Levels

Regular Schedule Resumes Friday

mission street yoga, south pasadena

Thursday 11/27/08 - 10:00AM Mixed Mark Frankel

revive yoga, chatsworth

Wednesday 11/26 - 6:00-7:30pm Vinyasa cancelled
Thursday 11/27 - Closed
Friday 11/28 - Closed
Saturday we will resume our regular schedule!

rising lotus yoga, sherman oaks

Thursday, November 27, 2008
9:00am Level 1 with Elinore
10:30am Mixed Level Flow with Daniel
By Donation to benefit West Valley Food Bank

runyon canyon yoga, hollywood

There WILL be class on Thanksgiving

santa monica yoga, santa monica

Special Classes Thursday November 27 - Fundraiser for Westside Food Bank
~ 9:00 am - Kyra Haglund - Mixed Level Flow
~ 10:45 am - Cindy Fraser - Slow Deep Stretch
Closed Friday November 28
Regular Schedule Resumes Saturday November 29

silver lake yoga, silverlake

Wednesday, November 26
No 4 pm Kids Class

Thursday, November 27 - THANKSGIVING DAY
There will be a 9:30 am All Levels Class taught by Jonathan
All other classes canceled

Friday, November 28
No 7 am Mixed Levels Class
No 7:15 pm Flow Class
All other classes as scheduled.

sivananda yoga vedanta center, marina del rey

We have a modified schedule for Thanksgiving week:
10:30am-noon Open Class All Levels
All other classes cancelled on Thursday and Friday
except for Bhaghavad-Gita workshop on Friday
Pranayama class cancelled on Sunday

space studio, manhattan beach

No evening classes on Wednesday - 8am and 9am Spin only
Closed on Thursday – Happy Thanksgiving!
Friday – 8am and 9am Spin, 9:15am Yoga
Back to the regular schedule on Saturday

still yoga, silverlake

Thanksgiving class with Tara Judelle 9-11am
All other classes cancelled on Thursday

truyoga, santa monica

As TruYoga's way of giving Thanks for the Thanksgiving Holiday we are offering a free Gratitude yoga class open to all! This Wednesday November 26th from 1-2pm taught by Chani Nicholas
Come and join us for this special yoga class and give thanks for all we have to be grateful for...

Wednesday November 26th
~ 7am w/ Ben
~ 10:45am w/ Leslie
~ 1pm Free Gratitude Yoga Class open to all w/ Chani
~ 5:45pm w/ Toni CANCELLED
~ 7:15pm w/ Travis CANCELLED
Thursday November 27th CLOSED
Friday November 28th CLOSED

u studio yoga, los angeles

if U happen to be in town this Thanksgiving, we've got U covered!

Thursday, Thanksgiving day - 9am with Andrea (get there early to ensure a spot)
Friday - climb out from the wreckage and join Ginny at 10:15am for a detox flow
then go home and eat left overs and..
join Andrea at 5:30pm for further damage control...

the rest of the weekend is as it always is

urth yoga, silverlake

Thursday, Nov 27
8:30-10:00am Basics - Anusara Inspired Gabe Hendrie
10:30am-12:00pm Mixed Levels - Anusara Inspired Jeff Starin

yoga at the village, glendale

Free 9:00am yoga on Thanksgiving Day...THANK YOU!!!
Closed the rest of Thanksgiving day.
Open Friday, Saturday, Sunday as usual.

yoga bindu, san pedro

The studio will be closed on Wednesday, November 26

yoga blend, burbank

We will offer two classes on Thanksgiving morning with a portion of the proceeds going to Project Angel Food, an organization dedicated to nourishing the body, mind and spirit of those with life-threatening illnesses.
10:00am-11:30am Level 1- 2 with Nicole
10:30am-12pm Gentle/Stretch with Christy
We will be closed the rest of the day.

On Friday, November 28th, 6:45am class will be cancelled.
The rest of the weekend we will be open with our regular schedule.

yoga circle downtown, los angeles

Wed Nov 26, 7am, 12noon and 7:30pm
Closed Thanksgiving Day
Friday Nov 28, 12noon and 6:05pm
Sat Nov 29 Return to Regular Schedule

yoga darsana studio, alhambra

Studio closed on Thanksgiving Day

yoga desa, topanga

Unless otherwise posted, Yoga Desa will be CLOSED on Thanksgiving.

yoga groove, north hollywood

Thursday November 27th...Thanksgiving Day...we are having a 10 AM class only.
Come join WendyO for this special holiday class with live music and a spirit of thankfulness for all that blesses us in life.

yogahop, santa monica

Thursday, November 27, 2008
9:15AM - 10:45AM Summit 2/3 Matthew Reyes (room: East/West)
all other classes cancelled

yoga house, pasadena

Thursday, November 27
6:45am Level 1 Rebecca Miller
9:00am Level 1 Fiona Cole
10:00am Level 1-2 Susan Priver

Regular schedule resumes Friday, November 28

yoga kingdom sanctuary, pasadena

Nov. 27th - Thanksgiving Day
9:30 to 11:00 AM Classical Hatha All Level Naader

Nov. 28th - Day after Thanksgiving Day
9:30 to 11:00 AM Classical Hatha All Level Naader
4:45 to 6:00 PM Classical Hatha All Level Maria

Nov. 29th - Thanksgiving Day Saturday
8:00 to 11:00 AM Classical Hatha All Level Naader
8:45 to 10:00 AM Beginners Hatha Maria

yoga loft, manhattan beach

Wednesday, 11/26 All classes held
Thursday, 11/27 9:00am Level 2 with Genevieve
Friday, 11/28 8:40am Level 2/3 with Najla
10:15am Level 1/2 with Jamie
Saturday, 11/29 All classes held
Sunday, 11/30 All classes held

yoga madre, arcadia

Thursday November 27, 2008 The 9:00 am all levels class is on, and we are closed after that.

yoga west, los angeles

THANKSGIVING DAY CLASS with Gurudhan Singh
Thursday, November 27th 9 - 10:30 am
*keytag class (only class of the day)

Let us “count our blessings” on the Day of Thanks. A great way to start this day is to open ourselves with Yoga, then receive the Infinite through our Meditation. With that experience, we can live with grace in gratitude for all the Infinite has given us. Of course, a great meal with family and friends will also help with generous servings of dessert!

yoga works, all locations

Center for Yoga
8:00 Hatha Blend 2 Clay Kyle
8:30 YW Flow 2/3 Natasha Rizopoulos
9:30 Hatha Blend 1/2 Hazel Patterson
10:15 Anusara 2/3 Lucy Bivins
11:00 Hatha Blend 1 Kim Wharton

Main Street
7:30 YogaWorks 1/2 Kia Miller
9:00 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 Vinnie Marino
11:00 YogaWorks 2 Gigi Snyder

Montana Avenue
7:30 YogaWorks 1/2 Al Tavera
8:00 Pranayama Lisa Walford
9:00 YW Flow 2/3 James Brown
9:15 Iyengar 2 Tulsi Laher
10:45 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 Jesse Schein
10:45 Hatha Blend 1 Nichola Dunne

Pacific Palisades
The studio will be closed in observance of Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 27th, 2008.
We will return to normal hours on Friday, November 28th.
Have a wonderful holiday and we look forward to seeing you on the 28th!

South Bay
7:30 Iyengar 1/2 Jennifer Edwards
8:00 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 Garth Hewitt
9:15 YogaWorks 1 Romy Phillips
9:45 Vinyasa Flow 2 Shelley Williams
11:00 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 Julie Rader

Westwood
7:30 YogaWorks 1 Hazel Patterson
9:15 Iyengar 1/2 Vladimir Jandov
9:30 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 Eka Ekong
11:00 YW Flow 2 Eka Ekong
11:00 Restoratives Vladimir Jandov

Visit yogaworks.com for the most current schedule

your neighborhood studio, culver city

Thursday, 11/27 - Closed Thanksgiving Day

Friday, 11/28 - Holiday Schedule
9:00 am - 10:30 am Yoga Flow
INSTRUCTOR RENNIE YABIKU. This class combines vinyasa flow, breath awareness and alignment of poses to create a challenging class that will move you deeper into your practice.

yummy yoga, los feliz

Wednesday, Nov 26:
9AM to 10:30AM - All Levels with Emilie
7PM to 8:30PM - All Levels with Caroline
All other Wednesday classes are cancelled.

Thursday, Nov 27:
***Special Thanksgiving Day Class***
10:00 AM to Noon
All Levels, taught by Ducky Punch and Ali Laventhol
Donation Only (class series do not apply)
Ease into your Thanksgiving celebration with this special two-hour class taught by Ducky and Ali. Reconnect to your breath, your body, and your intention for the day. Everyone is welcome, regardless of yoga experience!
All other Thursday classes are cancelled

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday:
regular classes will be held as scheduled

getting my kicks on route 66

on a typical saturday morning, i'd usually be out on a training run with my marathon training group.

but yesterday, i chose to skip it.

and later on that day, depending on how tired i was after my run, i'd usually take a yoga class -- vinyasa flow, power, restorative, anything -- somewhere.

i chose to skip that, too.

and no, i wasn't sick. in fact, i was full of energy and my back felt fine (or at least acceptably fine).

so why the change in routine?

this year, just like last year, i decided to participate in the third annual great LA walk. originally conceived by mike and maria of franklin avenue, the walk was neither a race nor a fundraiser. the point of the walk was to experience the streets of LA via an unfamiliar mode of transportation: on foot (remember the song lyrics "... no one walks in LA..."?)

so while the inaugural walk traversed wilshire and the subsequent version followed pico, this year's route was a bit more ambitious; with mike at the helm, over a hundred curious and/or adventurous angelenos -- including yours truly -- walked the length of santa monica boulevard, with a portion of sunset thrown in for fun. as it turns out, the walk followed a good chunk of the old route 66 as it made its way through los angeles, west hollywood, beverly hills, and santa monica.

If you ever plan to motor west,
Just take my way, that's the highway that's the best.
Get your kicks on Route sixty-six.

It winds from Chicago to LA
More than two-thousand miles all the way.
Get your kicks on Route sixty-six. *

* from route 66, music and lyrics by bobby troup

according to the historic route 66 website, if you were to follow route 66 from pasadena to santa monica, this is how you'd do it:

Westbound on Colorado Blvd.
Cross the Arroyo Seco on a historical bridge that was built prior to Route 66 (1912).
Turn left on Figueroa St.
Turn left onto the southbound Pasadena Freeway (CA-110) at Avenue 22.
Follow the Pasadena Freeway (CA-110).
Exit at Sunset Blvd.
From the off-ramp, turn left.
Cross the freeway, turn right onto Figueroa.
Turn right onto Sunset Blvd.
After 3 miles, turn left onto Manzanita Blvd.
Follow as it changes into Santa Monica Blvd.
Continue through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills.
Turn left on Lincoln Blvd. (Just after 9th St.)
Route 66 ends here at Olympic Blvd.

(The above end is the real historic end, but it wouldn't be complete without a visit the Will Rogers Plaque in the Palisades Park at the intersection of Santa Monica Blvd. and Ocean Ave. and a stretch of the legs on the Santa Monica Pier.)

from the starting point at union station in downtown to the terminus at the pacific ocean in santa monica, the plan was to cover 18-plus miles. that's a fairly long stretch. of sidewalks and crosswalks. mom-and-pop shops and chain restaurants. discount stores and designer boutiques. and in my case, a combination of neighborhoods i rarely find myself traveling through and those i regularly walk/bike/drive past.

in the interest of cost, convenience, and an effort to "go green", i caught the big blue bus #10 -- the freeway flyer -- from my home in santa monica to union station. once there, i mentally attempted to sort out the commuters from the walkers to figure out if an impromptu gathering spot had been established. but with almost an hour to go before the appointed start time of 9am (don't ask me why i chose to show up that early), most of the walkers were either in the snack bar line waiting to get their caffeine boost for the morning, or walking around the train station checking out the architecture. i looked around to find mike or any other familiar face. nada. so i made my way to the snack bar, grabbed a toasted bagel to keep my belly entertained, then walked around outside to while away the time.

eventually, mike and maria showed up with their son evan comfortably seated in his stroller (lucky kid got to ride while their parents walked. and pushed.) mike led the group outside to the courtyard. while he gave out instructions and waited for everyone to sign in, i helped hand out the maps he had printed out. a hundred and fifty signatures later, shortly after 9am, we were off.

first stop, olvera street, the birthplace of los angeles. the vendors of the mexican food and souvenir stands were busy arranging their wares as we walked past. it had been many, many years since i had last visited this tourist spot. i was tempted to hang back to reacquaint myself with the area, but since i didn't want to miss any side trips like i did last year, i kept mike in sight and kept moving.

a left at the end of olvera street landed us on cesar chavez avenue. shortly after we walked past the chinatown arch on broadway, we found ourselves at the intersection of sunset and figueroa, right where route 66 merges in from pasadena, on the edge of elysian park, the home of dodger stadium.

by now, i'd struck up a conversation with will campbell, an LA-based blogger and bicycle activist. if there's anything happening in LA that has anything to do with bicycles, whether it be bike access routes, bike tours, bikes in the news, or places to buy or repair bikes, chances are, will knows all about it.

so pair up a chatty marathon runner with an equally chatty bike tour rider, and what do you get? a lively conversation on why the organizers of the LA marathon are completely out of touch with the running community (not to mention out of their minds) when they decided to move the 2009 race date from the traditional first SUNDAY in march to presidents' day, which falls on the third MONDAY in february. why? supposedly because there were a few influential churches who complained that their congregations were greatly inconvenienced by the sunday street closures. if that weren't bad enough, with only three months to go until the revised race date, just when everyone had pretty much gotten their travel and training plans finalized, the marathon committee sent out this update:

In an effort to create a world-class runner experience, we've moved the 2009 Los Angeles Marathon to Memorial Day, Monday, May 25th...

WTF?!?!?

who would choose to run a race in LOS ANGELES on memorial day, when they'd rather be spending time with their friends and family barbecuing in their back yards or hanging out on the beach? not only that, but who in their right mind would want to run a MARATHON when it's warm and sunny enough to sit around in shorts and flip-flops?

to make things worse, what about the non-refundable airline tickets? the vacation plans already made? the training schedules that had each runner ready for 26.2 miles by february 16th?

the race is obviously so screwed up at this point that the website provides nothing of value -- no course map, no runner information. instead, it merely displays two buttons labeled "Click here to register" and "Click here to contact us". nice job, guys!

getting back on track...

we walked past neighborhood after neighborhood along sunset. the victorian homes in angelino heights (which we really didn't get to see much of because we were short on time). the spanish-language signage over small storefronts in echo park. the trendy cafes and boutiques (as well as urth yoga and the ashtanga yoga shala -- namaste, y'all!) in silverlake. soon, we reached sunset junction, where santa monica boulevard (and route 66) splits off from sunset and continues on to the ocean.

at this point, we were entering the lesser-known district known as east hollywood. sadly, the initial section along santa monica was just one unremarkable stretch of concrete. things didn't pick up until right around vermont avenue, where we were suddenly surrounded by pedestrians making their way to the metro red line station at the corner, LA city college just a block south on vermont, and a whole slew of businesses up and down the street. thanks to the nice couple from jackson-hewitt tax service, we were handed bottles of water somewhere along the way to help keep us hydrated.

we walked past the armenian-run stores in little armenia. past the hollywood forever cemetery, final resting place of many hollywood celebrities, where outdoor movie screenings are held during the summer. by now squarely in the heart of hollywood, we walked past theater row, a cluster of small buildings where an eclectic array of plays and musicals were being staged, including one called lysistrata: make love not war (no peace, no pussy). verrrrry interesting! :)

shortly after we passed the last theater, we reached the city limits of west hollywood at the intersection of santa monica and la brea, where a target-anchored shopping center occupies an entire city block. i peeled off from the group for a much-needed potty break at the starbucks store in the complex... then had to hightail it down santa monica to catch up with mike, will, and the rest of my companions. i finally caught up with them almost a mile later, just as the store windows started to tempt me with an array of russian breads and pastries. yum... was it time for lunch yet?

crossing fairfax, i recognized the familiar orange sign of city yoga and realized that i wouldn't be able to make the release party for hillary rubin's new DVD later that evening. there would be prizes, massages, free food and drink. and i was going to miss all the fun. and the food. by now, my tummy was screaming: feed me!

according to mike's map, we would break for lunch somewhere near the blue whale (aka the pacific design center), where there was a good variety of places to eat. since the group was so spread out that we had no idea where the front and the back were, mike decided to walk past all the west hollywood restaurants and fast food joints to pass the word along that we would regroup at the beverly hills border at 2pm. will opted to stay by mike's side, so i continued to tag along. maybe i should have eaten something more substantial than that bagel for breakfast...

we eventually reached the end of the string of outdoor cafes, and mike announced that we were ready to sit and eat. yay! miraculously, maria showed up with evan in tow. apparently, they both hopped on the subway at the vermont station, rode it home, then drove out to west hollywood to meet us for lunch. such troopers! we all piled into the champagne bakery and chowed down on sandwiches and french pastries. as soon as we cleaned off the last crumbs from our plates, we were up and out.

we gathered by a little park at the beverly hills border and waited for the others to join us. and at 2pm, five hours into the great LA walk, we trudged on. 8 more miles to go.

by now, i was in familiar territory. i had commuted up and down the remaining stretch of santa monica blvd so many times that i could easily picture in my mind all the streets and buildings that we'd be seeing along the way. like the narrow parkway that lined big santa monica all the way to wilshire. the imposing beverly hilton hotel (and the soon-to-be demolished trader vic's restaurant). the high rises and the high-end shopping center in century city.

as we were walking along the newly rerouted, relandscaped, and resurfaced santa monica blvd, will noticed what appeared to be the bust of abraham lincoln mounted high up on a lamppost. huh? what did lincoln have to do with century city? strangely enough, there didn't seem to be any other presidential figures anywhere nearby. then all of a sudden, we spotted something that oddly looked like the sears tower. by now, our little group was puzzled. lincoln and the sears tower? chicago? what did chicago have to do with century city? it then dawned on me that chicago was the start of route 66. and sure enough, there were 66's on those lampposts as well. god, we're good!

It goes through St. Louie down to Missouri
Oklahoma City looks oh so pretty.
You'll see Amarillo, Gallup, New Mexico
Flagstaff, Arizona, don't forget Winona,
Kingsman, Barstow, San Bernardino.

Won't you get hip to this timely tip
And think you'll take that California trip.
Get your kicks on route sixty-six.

as we continued on our journey to westwood, past the mormon temple (the site of a recent NO on prop 8 rally), we kept an eye out for other lamppost artwork. SHOW ME for missouri. mistletoe for oklahoma. the alamo for texas. kokopelli for new mexico. i forgot what we saw for arizona. EUREKA for california. and then there were the ones we couldn't quite put our fingers on. thistle? a bust of an unknown female? this LA art website has pictures of some of those oddities. looks like we missed some...

by the way, unless you're stuck in traffic or walking by like we were, there's no way you'd spot this supposed art installation as you're zooming down the street. in fact, this was the first time any of us had noticed any of this in all the years we'd been traversing santa monica. just more of your tax dollars at work :(

as we approached the 405, i pulled into another starbucks for another pit stop. will continued on to the 7-11 on the other side of the freeway for a much-needed soda break. i found him standing at the corner of sawtelle with a big gulp in hand. he was happy, i was happy. we kept on. past west la to the border of the city of santa monica. just over two more miles to go! just then, a big blue bus stopped to let a passenger hop off. i was so tempted to just hop on, drop 75 cents in the fare box, and ride it to the end... but no, i wasn't going to quit now, now that the finish line was less than a 5K away!

as we approached 5th street, we zoomed past the radio shack, right below bryan kest's power yoga east studio. i envied the yogis who were powering through their sweaty class, because at this point, i had no power to spare.

it didn't take long before we reached the third street promenade. and the power yoga west on 2nd street. before we knew it, we had reached our final destination at palisades park, overlooking the ocean. we did it! after a commemorative group photo with the setting sun at our backs, we all made our way to the britannia pub a few blocks away and toasted our achievement with ice cold beers. at around 7pm, many of us made our way to the bus stop at the corner; many boarded MTA buses for downtown while i hopped on the big blue #1 for my short ride home.

i mapped out our walk on mapmyrun.com. click here to see all of the 18.37 miles we covered that day. but duh, silly me was so busy checking out the sights that i missed a lot of photo opportunities. so if you want to see what we saw, check out mike's great walk post, where he's been compiling what everyone's been sending him.

many thanks to mike and maria for putting together this memorable event. thanks, too, to will for keeping me entertained along the 18-plus mile route. and i challenge siel (aka the green la girl), who spent the day monitoring the twitter posts then partied with us at the brittania, to join us in our journey along next year's still-to-be-determined route. hey, if i can do it, you can too! :)

sign me up for the 4th annual great LA walk, because i'll definitely be there!

a rising kirtan artist

in my last post, i talked about kirtan artist david newman, also known as durga das, founder of yoga on main in philadelphia. through the years, david built up a following, first among the yogis in his hometown, then across the country, all the way to the west coast, where i first attended one of his kirtans almost two years ago.

somehow i'd like to think that a similar fate -- and fame -- will come to daniel stewart, an LA-based yoga teacher, co-founder of rising lotus yoga in sherman oaks. besides leading regular monthly donation-based kirtans at rising lotus, he's led chants at santa monica yoga (where he also teaches), and santa monica power yoga.

this friday, he's taking his show on the road, so to speak, to yoga blend in burbank. he'll have his usual posse with him: larry klein and steve hartman on percussion, sarah bergman and sylvie scoville on vocals, abby scoville on cello, and dave watts on bass. and of course, daniel on harmonium and lead vocals.

i plan on being there to support him and his friends; i hope you'll be able to join us, too.

here's the event write-up from the yoga blend website:

Acoustic Kirtan with Daniel Stewart and Friends
Yoga Blend, Burbank
Friday, November 21st from 8:30pm-10:30pm
$15 in advance, $20 day of

"We meditate, we practice yoga, we sing in the shower, in the car, and in the yoga room, in order to quite our minds and return to a joyful, feeling of oneness. We know in our hearts that our happiness isn’t reliant on our name, our job, or the lists we need to finish. We can sense that our singing is a call to our soul; a reminder of our limitless connection to the internal and a celebration of the love that flows in all of us."

Join Daniel Stewart, Larry Klein on percussion, and special musical guests for an evening of call and response chanting. No experience necessary. Just a willingness to open your heart and surrender to the blissful flow.

Co-owner and founder of Rising Lotus, Daniel is dedicated to the practice of being fully alive in each moment. His playful, heart-centered teaching, combines alignment, meditative breath, and spirit in vigorous vinyasa-flow classes that encourage reconnection to Self, renewal and joy. He incorporates eastern philosophy, depth psychology, poetry and laughter to create a stimulating environment where students can release physically, quieting their minds to experience a deep sense of peace and well-being.

Daniel shares his life long love of music by leading Kirtan at the studio every 2nd Friday and at studios around town. Daniel's kirtan is a unique blend of western soul and jazz style improvisation with authentic Sanskrit mantras. The joy he feels singing is evident in the energy that grows in the room and the heart opening often experienced by participants. He believes that together, the musicians and the audience find union as they create an ecstatic experience of blissful music and deep mediation.

a major league celebration

fresh on the heels of the much-celebrated world series championship of the philadelphia phillies, i spent a weekend in philadelphia with my youngest daughter earlier this month for some major league celebrating of our own: it was her 21st birthday!

besides that momentous occasion, there were other reasons for my visit:

~ i needed a few thousand more air miles to retain my elite status on an airline that offers more legroom and free checked baggage to customers who fly at least 25,000 miles a year. and if i was going to have to fly one more cross-country trip to get there, it made total sense to spend the time and money on something special!

~ the last time i had attended a kirtan with david newman in LA, i had told him that i would try to attend his class at his studio in philly, yoga on main, when he was back at home base. and it just so happened that he was in town the weekend of my planned visit.

~ it was also a chance for me to check out the studios that i had added to my "the next time i'm in town" list when i was there two years ago (was it really that long ago?).

so in my usual crazed fashion, here's how that weekend went (mind you, this was in addition to the major league shopping and dining my daughter and i did together):

i flew into philadelphia early saturday morning on the red-eye from san diego -- for some reason, the least expensive fare had me flying from LAX to SAN, then on to PHL. and i swear i'll never do that again, not only because it required me to take a shuttle bus from the distant commuter terminal to the main terminal for my connection, but because i had to relinquish the $2 bottle of water i had bought in LAX because i had to pass through that second security checkpoint... just to find out that a similar bottle was $3 in san diego!! talk about highway robbery! :(

going back to my original story... it was around 6am when i arrived in philly. it was early enough to catch a morning yoga class, so that's exactly what i did.

Yoga on Main
4363 Main Street, Manayunk, PA 19127
(215) 482-7877
website: http://www.yogaonmain.com/

Yoga On Main is a holistic center, that provides educational opportunities, services and products, which support a healthy and spiritual lifestyle. It is a place to learn the ancient system of yoga and other transformative practices, which integrate, heal and nourish the body, mind and spirit. It is our goal to operate, serve and prosper as an example of the spiritual principles and practices that we advocate.

At our studio you will discover the joys of yoga and the profound benefits of regular spiritual practice. Come and share community, feel love, let go, have fun, experience the mystical, and deepen your connection with the Divine in daily living. Join us!

yoga on main was founded by david newman, rising kirtan artist in the yoga world. it was during his travels to LA and DC that i had a chance to chat with him, and with the release of his latest album, love peace chant, and a kirtan to celebrate the occasion, it seemed like as good a reason as any to see how he was doing. and to check out his studio as well.

manayunk is located a few miles north of center city philadelphia. it's a quaint neighborhood whose main street is lined with trendy restaurants, bars, and boutiques. and as expected, there was a starbucks located right smack in the middle of things. it was there that i decided to sit and pass the time with a chai latte while waiting for the studio doors to open.

david was scheduled to lead an inner fire yoga workshop -- a unique style of yoga which offers a complete physical experience while honoring the spiritual nature of yoga -- on sunday afternoon, but because it would have taken too big of a chunk of my mother-daughter bonding time, i opted to take the saturday 8am inner fire class with the studio's co-director, shiva das, instead.

but as things always seem to turn out for me on road trips, shiva das was feeling under the weather; his class was subbed by dawn reid, a teacher who wasn't listed on the regular schedule. since she was trained in the inner fire method and seemed like a really sweet soul, i went ahead and paid for the drop-in class, then made my way to the carpeted classroom on the second floor of the tri-level studio.

by the time dawn walked into the classroom to start the class, there were at least 8 of us in the sunlit room. a good size, i must say, for an early morning weekend class.

the class started with slow stretches and progressed to very gentle sun salutations. in fact, since most of the class consisted of cat-cows and child poses, i found it very easy to follow along despite my three hours' worth of fitful sleep on an airline seat that didn't recline (argh). after our class was led to quiet savasana, i'm pretty sure i fell asleep, even if it was just for a minute or two. but then again, with a full day ahead of me, i probably needed it anyway.

after spending the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon with my daughter, i left my daughter to party with her dormmates while i did some partying of my own -- at david newman's kirtan that evening.

Kirtan with David Newman
Celebrating the Release of David’s New CD “LOVE, PEACE, CHANT”
Join us for an evening of ecstatic devotional chanting.

so back to yoga on main i drove. unfortunately, instead of the warm sunshine i experienced during my earlier visit, it was now dark and rainy. and instead of nice quiet streets with gobs of parking, not a single parking space was to be found. i circled. and circled. apparently, saturday night in manayunk, rain or no rain, is the time for well-dressed trendsters to come out en masse in search of good food and good times. after passing on the lone spot remaining in a lot that charged $12 for the evening (and i thought LA rates were bad), i found a lot with a "discounted" rate of $10. argh. i was already late for the kirtan and couldn't figure out where else to go.

there must have been a hundred chanters gathered in that same second-floor classroom (ok, so maybe i exaggerate, but i did have to climb over quite a number of bodies before i reached my cramped spot way in the back of the room). up in front, alongside david, was mira, the percussionist and breathy vocalist behind all his music, plus some other musicians i could barely make out from where i was seated. it didn't seem to matter to me who they were or what they were playing; it all sounded exquisite.

david newman's style can probably be described as folksy. unlike most kirtan stars whose instrument of choice is a harmonium, david strums an acoustic guitar while he sings. his sound is uniquely his own; it's nothing like krishna das's solemn devotionals, jai uttal's ecstatic wailing, nor dave stringer's rockin' mantras. david introduced one of his chants as "country eastern", which could have been an apt description of many of the other songs he performed that evening.

when the kirtan ended late that evening, we were all treated to a very unusual prasad -- a chocolate-frosted cake with the words "jai obama! love, peace, chant!" written in large letters on top. with it being just a few days after the very closely-watched presidential election, it was clear who the candidate of choice was in this swing state!

click here for the youtube video of his CD release kirtan back in LA (funny how i missed it when it was held right by my home only because i was in peru at the time). i did manage to buy a copy of the CD while i was in philadelphia... and got david to autograph it while i was there :)

just like the wind that started to blast the city, my philly weekend just whooshed by; soon it was monday, back to school for my daughter and back to LA for me. i wanted to catch one more class before i left town, and i managed to find the perfect one a short distance from where i was staying.

Wake Up Yoga West Philadelphia
4916 Baltimore Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19143
(215) 729-9378
website: http://www.wakeupyoga.com/

A typical class at Wake Up Yoga offers breath awareness, centering/meditation, well-sequenced and clearly explained asana (physical postures) and, of course, Savasana (final relaxation). Connect with the source as you chant OM, or simply feel the vibration of the seed sound dancing through your sweet self. Be an integral member of a lovely community of like-minded people as you unveil reality right before your very eyes.

taking an energizing vinyasa class at wake up yoga sounded like the best way to start the morning: Greet the day with movement and breath! A balanced vinyasa yoga class, tailored to whomever is present. Appropriate for all levels, this offering is challenging, soothing, and inspiring!

this west philadelphia studio is a branch of the wake up yoga studio in fairmount that i had visited during my last visit to philly and was just a little over a mile from the university of pennsylvania campus where my daughter's enrolled. i probably could easily have gotten there by trolley from the hotel, but with a tight deadline to get myself showered and cleared out of my hotel room by noon, i opted to drive instead. luckily, there was ample FREE parking in front of the studio (did i mention that i got a parking ticket while in manayunk saturday morning because my parking meter ran out before class let out? grrrr....)

our teacher was jake miller, a very pleasant guy who seemed to really enjoy teaching our mixed-level class. and his students seemed to really enjoy being in his class; many of them were regulars whom he knew by name. i chatted with him briefly while the students continued to stream into the room and found out that he had done some thai yoga massage training with saul david raye here in LA. and he's planning to return next summer for more workshops. who knows... maybe i'll run into him the next time he's in town!

as for his class, it was a juicy vinyasa flow with some long holds thrown in. while the poses themselves weren't that complex, there was some challenge in it for all of us. i got to work on my handstand, which has become such a high for me ever since i've been able to get my feet up against the wall without a spot (but without a wall? not anytime soon, i can tell you that!).

with other classes on the wake up yoga schedule such as tranquil vinyasa, vigorous vinyasa, harmonizing vinyasa, and even yoga for less mobile bodies, i'd wished i'd had more time to try more of them. but i'm sure i'll get another chance to visit wake up yoga as well as the other studios that i'd missed before the next philly pennant win!

now that the dust has settled...

i know, it's been a long time since i last wrote anything. and honestly, i really haven't been in the mood to gather my thoughts, much less write them down and make them sound halfway intelligible. at least not until now, now that things seem to have settled down and some semblance of normalcy has returned to my life.

you see, soon after i blissfully floated back to LA from my recent trip to peru -- where i spent a couple of days exploring the awesome ruins of machu picchu, plus a few more visiting other sacred inca sites -- i was immediately caught up in a maelstrom of ups and downs, hellos and goodbyes, sunny skies and dark clouds. considering that i spent most of the past month in a zombie-like state, it's surprising that i managed to come through it intact.

where to start? might as well start with my first day back at work...

i walked into the office, barely awake from my late-night arrival the day before, happy to see all my fellow cubicle-dwellers who were equally eager to see me as well as the pictures i had brought with me. they were also curious to find out what was in the pastry box i had hand-carried all the way from south america. it was a torta de mana, a marzipan-glazed white cake that was layered with apricot jam and majar blanco, something akin to dulce de leche. i had tasted a slice while at a gourmet bakery in the miraflores neighborhood of lima and decided that it was a delicacy that i had to share with my friends back home.

everyone continued to buzz by my desk all morning. i think i told the same story so many times that ken, the guy on the other side of my cubicle, had pretty much memorized the highlights of my trip -- the ruins, the llamas, the food, the shopping. so while he filled in the late-arrivers with his version of what happened, i finally had a chance to fire up my email and check to see what had piled up in my inbox. it was the usual assortment of meeting invites and requests for information. buried among them, though, was a note that merely said: call me. it was from my contracting agency. it sounded ominous.

i called in, and as i had suspected, it wasn't good news. my contract was due for renewal at the end of the month, and while i was on vacation, my manager had gone over the project schedule and decided that there wasn't enough work for me to do to justify granting me an extension. end of story. he did throw in an extra week, just so i had at least two weeks' notice after i got back from vacation. so gallant of him.

so there i was, a good amount of money in the hole from my ten-day trek, with the holidays just around the corner, and the economy (and job prospects) tanking. and now i was on the verge of having to file for unemployment like the millions of others ahead of me. i was immediately on the phone to every headhunter, every friend, every colleague -- anyone who could possibly have a job lead of any sort. and their responses to me were identical: shoot me a copy of your resume and i'll see what i can do.

depression has this funny way of turning your life upside down. to show you how bad things were, i don't believe i took a single yoga class that entire week, only because all i wanted to do was go home after work and veg in front of the tv (it didn't help that the elections were drawing closer and my listening to what the candidates had to say seemed more interesting than doing a downward dog).

long story short, after moping around for a couple of days then finally getting my act together, i came up with a resume that was decent enough to send out. the headhunters agreed that it contained all the appropriate buzzwords and job descriptions, so they checked their job postings and sent my employment history on its merry way.

thankfully, it didn't take long before i started getting phone calls. would i be able to schedule an interview right away? heck yeah!

in the meantime, while all of that was going on, i still had to get myself ready for a marathon that next weekend. i was about to run 26.2 miles way out in indianapolis, and whether i was in the mood for it or not, i had to figure out how to get through that in one piece. i was in trouble -- physically, because the longest distance i had run was a mere 17 miles, and mentally, because i just couldn't seem to focus on the task at hand.

next thing i knew, i was on the red-eye to chicago, with a short turbo-prop connection to indianapolis. this time, i was traveling alone. and all that alone time somehow allowed me to do whatever i wanted to do whenever i felt like it, even if that "whatever" was absolutely nothing. i walked around the downtown area and visited monuments and memorials. i drove around indianapolis in search of the nearest whole foods market -- which turned out to be almost 10 miles away! -- and stopped to check out the neighborhoods along the way. i even had a chance to check out a couple of yoga studios while i was there (and i'll post my thoughts about those later). things were looking up; the old me was making a comeback.

race morning. the weather forecast called for temps in the high 60's (higher than normal for that time of year) and sunny skies. the starting signal went off, i took a deep breath, and started running. and kept running. occasional leg and foot cramps had me slowing down to a walk, but the moment the pain eased up, i was back to running again. i may have been taking it easy to conserve whatever energy i had left, but i was feeling good, so good that i taunted some guys on the home stretch that i was right on their heels. they beat me anyway, but what the heck; it was fun making them work :)

i finished with a respectable time. it wasn't a PR for me, by any means, but it was still an hour FASTER than the last marathon i dragged my butt through five months earlier! yeah!

back in LA, with one more week to go at work, time just flew by. every day was another lunch with another group of friends at the office who wanted to wish me the best. cuban, japanese, german, indian, with an after-hours happy hour thrown in for good measure. i knew it was going to be hard to leave all the wonderful people i had worked with, but at least i knew that no matter the distance, we would still keep in touch.

on my last day, i packed up my belongings, turned in my badge, exchanged goodbyes, and headed straight for the airport, this time bound for philadelphia to celebrate my youngest daughter's 21st birthday with her. despite the rainy days and windy nights, we managed to spend time together eating, shopping, and bonding -- and contrary to what everyone thinks, i did NOT get her drunk nor spring for a keg for her dorm roommates. and best of all, not only did i find time for some yoga classes while i was there, but a kirtan, too! (again, stay tuned for another post about that).

visits with loved ones never seem long enough; before i knew it, i was back at home once again . but with entire days now at my disposal and no job in the immediate future, i've come to the realization that i've reached a turning point in my life, and that it's up to me to make the most of the situation.

which includes my being able to check out what's going on in the LA yoga scene -- classes, events, what-have-you. come to think of it, being out of work doesn't seem so painful after all, does it?

so now that i've finally gotten the past month off my chest, things should soon return to normal. or to at least what seems normal to me :)

it's good to be back!

creeping into fall

i have to say that there definitely must be some global warming going on; here we are, clear into november, and the temps are still hovering around the 70's. hard to believe that the holidays will soon be here! so will we be celebrating thanksgiving clad in shorts and sandals on the beach? wouldn't that be nice!

i'm still in the process of compiling this list, so please bear with me...

ongoing events:

Kids Fitness Classes
lululemon Glendale, 233 South Brand Avenue
Every Wednesday 3:00pm
Cost: FREE

Complimentary Kids Fitness classes on Wednesdays at 3:00pm.
November 2 - Family Cardio Workout with the General, Robert Greene
November 5 - Mommy and Me with ambassador Diana Storace and Baby Sol (Garden of Yoga)
November 12 - Kids Yoga with Julie Markovitz (Yoga Works)

Yoga For A Cause
Liberation Yoga, Los Angeles
Every Wednesday 4:30pm
Cost: By Donation

Join Laurie Searle For This Inspiring All levels Class!
A weekly all levels flow class with the intention of raising awareness for the issues we care about as a studio and community. Although this is not a donations class, donations are collected at the box hanging at the front desk and go directly to the cause. No donation is too small. This class is sponsored by www.ewishingwell.org

Community Fitness Classes
lululemon Calabasas, 4719 Commons Way
Every Wednesday 8:30-9:30pm
Every Sunday 9:30-10:30am
Cost: FREE

Complimentary Community Fitness classes on Wednesdays at 9:30 pm and Sundays at 9:30 am.
November 16 - Yoga with ambassador Chandra Gero
November 30 - Yoga for Digestion with Sri Hari Moss (Yoga Works)

Yoga for Runners with Steve Mackel
lululemon Pasadena, 110 W Colorado Blvd
Every Thursday 6:30-7:30pm
Cost: FREE

Join us on our outdoor patio for Yoga for Runners with Certified ChiRunning Instructor, USA Triathlon Coach, and lululemon Ambassador, Coach Steve Mackel.
Class is held every Thursday at 6:30pm on our store's back patio in Miller Alley just off Delacey Ave.
Coach Steve Mackel works on creating overall balance, taking runners through a series of yoga poses and explains the correlations between the pose and the biomechanics of running. He also moves students through vinyasa flow series while he focuses on creating strength first and flexibility second.
Limited community mats are available. As classes fill up quickly and space is limited, please come early.
Also, please dress in layers so that you may remain comfortable as you warm-up during the class.

Kirtan at SMPY West
Power Yoga West, Santa Monica
Every Saturday 8:00-10:00pm
Cost: By Donation

Our instructors will hold a candlelit evening of Kirtan/Chanting every Saturday of the month. Different instructors lead each week and always on donation basis.
1st Saturday of every month, Govindas and Radha (kirtanwithgovindas.com)
2nd Saturday of every month, Travis (traviseliot.com)
3rd Saturday of every month, Andres (powersoulyoga.com)
4th Saturday of every month, Terra and Friends (terrawellness.com)
Bring meditation cushions or blanket (no yoga mat). Wear comfy clothes.
Come sing from the deepest corner of your heart!

Weekly In-Store Fitness/Yoga Class
lululemon Santa Monica, 331 Santa Monica Blvd
Every Sunday 9:00-10:00am
Cost: FREE

November is a month of gratitude and thanks here at lululemon Santa Monica. We would like to honor, thank and give a shout-out to ALL of our alumni ambassadors who helped to build our amazing foundation through the past 5 years. These amazing people touched, moved and inspired us and continue to be an incredible presence in our community and lululemon life.
This November month of thanks, our IN-STORE complimentary fitness/yoga class will be lead by five amazing alumni ambassadors at the lu! See event dates for more details and instructors!
Nov 2: Cardio Playground
Nov 9: Afro Brazilian dance and Capoeira with Amen Santo
Nov 16: Vinyasa Flow with Ted McDonald
Nov 23: Yoga Flow with Ashley Turner
Nov 30: Core Power Yoga with Desi Bartlett
As always, snacks and refreshing beverages to follow.

All-levels Fitness Class
lululemon Beverly Hills, 334 North Beverly Drive
Every Sunday 9:30-10:45am
Cost: FREE

Every Sunday we host a complimentary fitness class featuring different styles of yoga, pilates, dance and personal training. All levels welcome - perfect for beginner, intermediate or advanced practitioners. Check our community events listing, we do family classes too!
Weekly classes are followed by healthy snacks to refuel!
Sample some of the Los Angeles area's best instructors in a non-intimidating environment, deepen your practice with personal attention in an intimate space and practice with us!
We have community mats for our guests.
November 16 - Yoga Booty Ballet with Gillian Clark
November 23 - Yoga with Angie Stewart
November 30 - Yoga with Dice

Yoga on the Green
lululemon Glendale, 233 South Brand Avenue
Every Sunday 9:30-10:30am
Cost: FREE

Come participate and help us achieve our goal of seeing 100 happy faces on the green!
Light refreshments to follow, limited mats available for class use.
*Keep in mind class is outside, and may be in partial sun. Dress appropriately or wear sunblock, and bring water!*
(see "other events" section below for scheduled yoga classes)

In-store Fitness Classes
lululemon South Bay, 2008A East Park Place
Every Sunday 9:30-10:30am
Cost: FREE

All levels flow yoga class from 9:30-10:30am
(see "other events" section below for scheduled yoga classes)

All-levels Yoga
lululemon Pasadena, 110 W Colorado Blvd
Every Sunday 10:00am
Cost: FREE

Limited "community" mats are available. Bringing your own mat is encouraged. As classes fill up quickly, and space is limited, please come early.
Please dress in layers so that you may remove articles as you warm-up during the class. Our space is outdoors behind the store on the patio (accessible through the alley on Delacey).
(see "other events" section below for scheduled yoga classes)

Kirtan in the Canyon with Andrew and Michele and Friends
Yoga Desa, Topanga
Saturday, Nov 1st (1st Saturday of the month) 7:00pm

Singing these special songs with full enthusiasm is a meditation in itself and can leave you quite happy and high. See for yourself.
Call (818) 340-6088 for information.
www.artoflivingla.org/public.html

Devotional Chanting
Monthly Devotional Chanting Kirtan
Ananda Los Angeles, Santa Monica
Saturday, Nov 1st (Once a month) 7:30pm

Just a reminder: we have changed our kirtan schedule. Kirtans are now being held once per month, on the first Saturday night. We hope to see you there. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to experience the profound inner peace and joy of devotional chanting. As Yogananda said, "Chanting is half the battle!"

Live Music class with Lucy Bivins
Guerilla Yoga at the Hollywood Dance Center, Hollywood
Friday, Nov 7th 6:00pm
Cost: $10 Suggested minimum donation

Lucy Bivins's monthly Live Music class is held every Friday evening at The Hollywood Dance Center. 2 hours of sweet, flowing asana accompanied by three of her loyal and talented musicians. The music starts at 6 pm.

FRIDAY NIGHT GROOVE NIGHT
Yoga Groove, North Hollywood
Friday, Nov 7th (1st Friday of the month) 8:00-9:15pm
Cost: $5 Suggested Donation

Join us for an evening of original music featuring local singer-songwriters Lauren Harding and Mallory Trunnell.
Only a suggested donation of $5 that goes to support the artists is requested for a great evening of fun filled entertainment.

Kirtan with Daniel & Friends
Rising Lotus Yoga, Sherman Oaks
Friday, Nov 14th (Once a month) 8:15pm
Cost: $15 Suggested donation

Come join me and many talented musical guests for a joyful evening of music, meditation, and chanting. No singing experience needed, only a willingness to open your heart to the joy.
The energy of our chanting keeps growing. Thank you for helping to make these events so joyous and powerful. For me, the experience of communal music and song just gets better and I'm so fortunate to be working with such creative musicians on the bhakti path.
come sing ~ come dance ~ or just be

Community Nights at City Yoga
City Yoga, West Hollywood
TBA (2nd Tuesday of the month) 7:30pm
Cost: FREE

Community nights are the 2nd Tues of each month.

Kirtan (call and response chanting) with Travis Eliot and Friends
Santa Monica Yoga, Santa Monica
Saturday, Nov 22nd (4th Saturday of the month) 8:00-9:30pm
Cost: By Donation


other special events:

All Soul's Day Celebration
Liberation Yoga, Los Angeles
Saturday, Nov 1st 8:00pm-Midnight
Cost: $30 by Oct. 29th/$35 at the door

Halloween dates back 2000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts celebrated their New Year's on Nov 1st. The night before the new year was a time of transition, when they believed the boundary between the living and the dead was blurred. Celts also felt that this thin veil between worlds enabled the Celtic priests to make predictions about the future.
Sixth Sense LA is excited to honor this time of year by offering a celebration that puts us in touch with the invisible realm of spirit, energy and possibility.
The All Soul's Day Experience is an experiential journey. While you may come to any portion of the evening we highly encourage treating yourself to the entire experience. There will be mix of large group, small group, and private experiences for you to participate in. Each experience is designed to offer you new insights into the deepest parts of your Self.
You never know what, or who is waiting to be revealed to you.
Your ticket gains you entry to the following:
~ A mystical labyrinth
~ Sound immersion baths
~ Small group past life regressions
~ Meditation lounge
~ Guided meditation to meet your spirit guides
~ A magic show
~ Music and dancing!
~ Divine potions, teas, snacks, elixirs and more!
Private Tarot, Astrologer & Psychic readings also available on first come first serve basis. ($1/minute) We will also be raffling off beautiful, mystical goodies! A portion of the proceeds from this event will be used to plant a grove of trees in honor of those who have passed away as a way to honor their lives and better the earth. (www.americanforests.com)

Surf's Up Saturdays with Billy Asad
Yoga Works Pacific Palisades
Saturday (first Saturday of month), Nov 1st 4:00pm
Cost: $25

Keep the summer vibe alive through autumn with Surf’s Up Saturdays!
Enjoy an afternoon of yoga at our Pacific Palisades studio and then head to Sunset Beach for a sunset surf session.
Bring your friends and make new ones at these casual gatherings for yoga and surfing. Don’t let the end of summer keep you from hitting the waves this fall! Watch the holiday stress melt away, one wave at a time. (Surfing equipment is not provided.)

Yin Yang Yoga with Michelle Butler and Linda Dam
lululemon South Bay, 2008A East Park Place
Sunday, Nov 2nd 9:30-10:30am
Cost: FREE

Looking for some relaxing yoga? Join us from 9:30am-10:30am for yoga class(all levels welcome)! Michelle Butler and Linda Dam will be teaching a yin yang yoga flow series. Both Michelle and Linda went thru teacher training Julie Rader, and are currently subbing classes at the Yoga Loft.

Kirtan Yoga with Sanjaya
Revive Yoga, Chatsworth
Friday, Nov 7th, 8:30-9:30pm
Cost: Donation based

Meditation doesn't come easy for many people. And that's where kirtan-an ancient participatory music experience-offers another method.
Without the work of mentally quieting the mind, kirtan can carry us effortlessly to a place of quiet, to stillness. One of the oldest sacred music traditions of the world, the kirtan call-and-response chanting genre comes to us from India. Using ancient Sanskrit mantras, the kirtan calls upon sacred energies which serve to quiet the mind, remove obstacles, and bring us back to the center of our being.
Please come join us for an evening of music and celebration for the heart and soul!

Unleash Your Inner Superhero! Embodying the Foundations of AcroYoga® with Lara Catone
Rising Lotus Yoga, Sherman Oaks
Saturdays: Oct 25, Nov 8, Nov 22, Dec 6 (no new drop-ins this day) 1:30-3:30pm
Cost: $49 for series of four, $18 drop-in (no class pass) PREREGISTRATION RECOMMENDED
This series will introduce the foundations of AcroYoga and no previous experience is required, beginners welcome! NO PARTNER NECESSARY!
In this introductory series we will discover how these three ancient lineages come together to inspire play and liberate your inner power. Open to new possibilities found through partner work from the therapeutics of stretching and Thai massage to the support of assisted inversions and basic acrobatics. Cultivating trust and connection everyone will learn to fly!

Acro Yoga Workshop
Your Neighborhood Studio, Culver City
Saturday, Nov 8th 3:30-5:30pm
Cost: $30

In Two- Hour Workshop we will learn how to 'base' and 'fly'. The base creates a stable platform for the flyer to receive inverted aerial asana flows blended with therapeutic massage techniques. Flying is a dance between Shiva and Shakti that utilizes the compliments of strong grounding energy and fluid receptive energy. The flyer receives spinal and muscular release while the base is the recipient of Thai massage and the Buddhist practice of metta - loving kindness.
Space is limited - reserve your spot today!

Yoga of Kirtan ~ Sacred Chants with Keshavacharya Das
Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center, Marina del Rey
Saturday, Nov 8th 7:00-9:00pm
Cost: $15 Suggested Donation

Join new Kirtan artist Keshavacharya Das for an ecstatic evening of sacred chants (Kirtan). With his sweet soulful voice, accompanied by harmonium and traditional Indian percussion, he will carry you to the core of your heart.
Keshavacharya's musical and spiritual journey led him from the pristine mountains of Switzerland, to the ancient temples and simple monasteries of India, and now to the yoga studios and ashrams tucked within America's bustling cities. Throughout it all, he remains a simple monk and lover of devotional chanting. He sees kirtan as a way to connect the performer and the listeners on a spiritual and artistic level, and an opportunity to create sacred space and invite others to enter into that space through the medium of sound.

The Rhythm of Axé ~ World Ritual Concert Series with Micheline Berry
Exhale Center for Sacred Movement, Venice
Saturday, Nov 8th 8:00-10:00pm
Cost: $20 in advance/$25 at the door

World Festival Encore Performance celebrating the intoxicating music, ritual and dance of Brazil with Shaman's Dream & guest master artists Mestre Amen & The Batuqueiros and dancers Vida Vierra, Dani Lunn & Swing Brazil.
After a several month hiatus, catch Micheline Berry + Shaman's Dream for this rockin' concert and be prepared to dance the night away! Buy your tickets in advance as this concert event will sell out.

WAH! Concert
Yoga Works Center for Yoga, Larchmont
Saturday, Nov 8th 8:00-10:00pm
Cost: $20 in advance; $25 at the door

Come sing and celebrate with WAH and join us for an amazing evening.
If you have taken a yoga class in the last five years, you have no doubt heard her enchanting music. She has spent ten years cultivating her sound, reinventing the traditional kirtan of India. Wah combines reggae,
Hindu chanting and pop to create a unique mix of spiritual world music.
She has toured the world sharing her music and ecstatic nature, and created numerous CD’s for yoga and meditation.
Wah will be performing a energizing concert of call-and-response chanting and mesmerizing music from her new CD release LOVE HOLDING LOVE.

Sunday Yoga with Guru Darshan
lululemon Pasadena, 110 W Colorado Blvd
Sunday, Nov 9th 10:00am
Cost: FREE

Guru Darshan Singh found Kundalini Yoga in May of 2004, and it has served to change his life. He has experienced first-hand the power of yoga in connecting us with truth, and overcoming fears, old beliefs, and addiction. He seeks to uplift and inspire his students, through yoga, mantra and meditation. Guru Darshan teaches in Pasadena at The Awareness Center (awarenesscenteryoga.org), and has led yoga retreats, classes and conferences in California, Taiwan, and Guatemala.

An evening of music with Mark Frankel and friends
Mission Street Yoga, South Pasadena
Sunday, Nov 9th 7:30pm

Join MSY teacher Mark Frankel and his friends Dmitri Bovard, Ruth Bruegger, and Maggie Edmondson as they perform an evening of music for flute and strings in the studio. The program includes an eclectic mix of music by Bach, Mozart, Tomasi, Villa Lobos, and Piazzolla. Flute, violin, viola and cello will sound especially awesome in our Shakti-filled studio.

Full Moon Kundalini Yoga with Gurmukh
Golden Bridge Yoga, Hollywood
Wednesday, Nov 12th 6:00pm
Cost: $16/keytags

Join us for this special class that calls upon the powerful energy of the moon. Enhance the rhythmic Dance of Life and balance your mind, calm your spirit, and energize your soul with full moon magic, when your mind is most open and you can manifest your prayers!

Yoga Under the Trees with Hilary Kimblin
Michael Lane and Trailer Canyon Fire Road, Pacific Palisades
Wednesday, Nov 12th 7:00pm
Cost: $15 or $20 the day of the hike

Hike, breathe, stretch, and relax into nature’s bounty! Enjoy the peace of practicing yoga as it has been practiced in India for thousands of years – outdoors. Let Hilary take you off the beaten path and trek toward a better understanding of yourself.
Yoga Under The Trees is a great way to introduce a friend or partner to yoga and also a wonderful way to meet new people. Beginners and the “completely rigid and inflexible” welcome. Join a hike today and Find Peace in the Wild.
We will be on the trail by 7pm and out by 10pm. Please bring a yoga mat or towel, warm layers, water, a flashlight, decent walking shoes/boots, a snack to share, and a sense of adventure!
Please RSVP hilary@yogaunderthetrees.com or call 323.841.3606

Tribal Blend With Christy Marsden
Yoga Blend, Burbank
Friday, Nov 14th 8:30-10:30pm
Cost $15

A guided blend of yoga, dance, chanting and music to open the body, mind and spirit into a free-form, creative expression of your tribal self! For those apprehensive about the free- form part, not to worry, this is a guided experience! Be prepared to sweat...a lot!

BEACH CLEAN UP & YOGA STRETCH With Christy Marsden and Bekah Finch
Topanga Beach, Malibu (meet at Yoga Blend at 9am to carpool)
Saturday, November 15th from 10:00am-1:00pm

Yoga Blend has adopted Topanga Beach for a year! Bring family and friends to spend the morning cleaning the beach and then some stretching on the sand afterwards!
**Please wear comfy clothes and closed toe shoes you don’t mind getting sandy or wet. Bring sun protection and be prepared for foggy or sunny weather. Feel free to bring snack.
Call 818-954-YOGA(9642) to RSVP

An Evening Of Kirtan with Sean Johnson and The Wild Lotus Band
Exhale Center for Sacred Movement, Venice
Saturday, Nov 15th 8:00-10:00pm
Cost: $15 in advance; $20 day of

WAKE UP YOUR SPIRIT THROUGH MUSIC AND SINGING! Savor the spicy grooves and dreamy melodies of New Orleans' Sean Johnson and The Wild Lotus Band who put a funky, mystic twist on kirtan, the mantric music of India. Sean and the band have been receiving international attention for their delightful chant music that subtly merges the spirit of India with the soul of New Orleans. The band tours worldwide seeking to inspire freedom through the blissful power of music and chant. They have received glowing reviews of their latest album Calling The Spirits which is quickly becoming a favorite at yoga studios everywhere. “Calling The Spirits” is destined to become one of the most well regarded recordings in the world of chant music” says Bette Timm of Aura Magazine. Grammy nominated world music pioneer Jai Uttal says, “Sean’s voice is a warm, soothing river of serenity.”

Holiday Kirtan with Michael Dunn
Yoga Works Pacific Palisades
Saturday, Nov 15th 8:00-10:00 pm
Cost: $20 in advance; $25 at the door

Greet the holidays with an evening of heart-warming chanting.
One of L.A.'s most popular kirtan artists returns to YogaWorks Palisades for a heartfelt holiday concert: the soul is from India, the groove is from L.A., and the chai is the worlds best! Come to YogaWorks for this inspiring and enlivening evening.
For nearly a decade, Michael Dunn has led kirtan meditations at the world-famed Lake Shrine meditation center. Trained as an actor at New York’s famed Juilliard Theatre Center, Michael enjoyed an award-winning career in leading roles ranging from Shakespeare to rock musicals.

Yoga with Andrew Abaria
lululemon South Bay, 2008A East Park Place
Sunday, Nov 16th 9:30-10:30am
Cost: FREE

Andrew Abaria teaches a flow yoga class at the Yoga Loft in Manhattan Beach. Whether you are just beginning your yoga practice or are further along in your practice this class will challenge all levels. Get ready to sweat and Join us from 9:30-10:30am on Sunday morning for yoga with Andrew. See you there!

Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Body and Heart with Jeanne Heileman
Silver Lake Yoga, Silverlake
Sunday, Nov 16th 1:30-3:30pm
Cost: $35 pre-registration; $40 the day of

Come join Jeanne Heileman in a gooey, groovy yoga class to unlock limitations in your mind and free your body so that you can fly in your life. We will play with poses and end in a heart-opening meditation that can carry you into the holidays and beyond. It will be fun!
All levels welcome. Students should have at least six months' yoga experience to ensure their safety.

Acoustic Kirtan with Daniel Stewart & Friends
Yoga Blend, Burbank
Friday, Nov 21st 8:30-10:30pm
Cost: $15 in advance, $20 day of

Join Daniel Stewart, Larry Klein on percussion, and special musical guests for an evening of call and response chanting. No experience necessary. Just a willingness to open your heart and surrender to the blissful flow.
“We meditate, we practice yoga, we sing in the shower, in the car, and in the yoga room, in order to quite our minds and return to a joyful, feeling of oneness. We know in our hearts that our happiness isn’t reliant on our name, our job, or the lists we need to finish. We can sense that our singing is a call to our soul; a reminder of our limitless connection to the internal and a celebration of the love that flows in all of us.”

Hatha and Hike with Sarita Moore (sponsored by lululemon Santa Monica)
Will Rogers State Park, 1501 Will Rogers State Park Rd, Pacific Pallisades
Saturday, Nov 22nd Meet at 9:30am, HIKE will begin at 10am
Cost: FREE

November is a month of gratitude and thanks here at lululemon Santa Monica. Let's honor nature and our selves with an invigorating nature HIKE followed by an awakening HATHA practice. Fresh out of Tree of Life Teacher Training, our own lovely lu, Sarita Moore will be leading the practice outside at the peak of our hike.
Parking instructions TBD.

The Dance of Abundance with Sat Siri
Golden Bridge Yoga, Hollywood
Saturday, Nov 22nd 1:30-4:30pm
Cost: $35/adv or $45/day of

In these times of financial downturn, thoughts of poverty, lack and separateness….let us not forget who we are. Our true nature is abundance. When we come together in sacredness, it creates a rich field of fellowship that strengthens our inner resolve.
We will meditate, sweat, dance and laugh our way in to this remembrance, preparing our hearts to receive knowledge that leads to transformation. Softening our hearts in this way through Kundalini Yoga and sound current makes us receptive to spiritual insight and revelation.

Gratitude is the Attitude with Kia Miller
Yoga Works Main Street
Saturday, Nov 22nd 6:00-8:00pm
Cost: $25

Celebrate the blessing in your life through yoga flow with live music, chanting and guided meditation.
This special evening will include a heart-centered dynamic yoga practice, Kundalini Kriya, live music, chanting and guided meditation. Gratitude is the lantern that lights the way to happiness. In yoga we learn to embrace the present moment, and in gratitude we find appreciation for it. Let us celebrate the goodness in all, and awaken to Divine Grace through our collective gratitude. All levels are welcome.

Ananda Kirtan~Sing and Dance to the rhythm of existence with Saul David Raye
Exhale Center for Sacred Movement, Venice
Saturday, Nov 22nd 8:00-10:00pm
Cost: $15 in advance; 20 day of

Singing and Dancing have long been sacred healing practices to awaken the life force, connect us to spirit and embody an ecstatic connection to the Divine force that sustains all life. Join us for this inspired evening of chanting, live music and sacred dance to celebrate life, and open to the very rhythm, energy and bliss of existence.

Life Bliss Meditation with Saul David Raye
Exhale Center for Sacred Movement, Venice
Sunday, Nov 23rd 12:30-1:45pm
Cost: FREE

Paramahamsa Nithyananda's Life Bliss Meditation (LBM) is a simple, natural technique to connect to your vast inner reservoir of creativity, energy, intelligence and bliss. There is an ocean of bliss within each of us. Connecting to this reservoir of overflowing joy can help bring out immense creativity, energy, and intelligence within each of us. The degree to which we are able to draw from this inner space of life, we grow in health, happiness, and success in our outer life. Life Bliss Meditation helps to get the best of the inner and outer worlds.

CHANTING and MEDITATION WORKSHOP with Michael Dunn
Dancing Shiva Yoga and Ayurveda, West Hollywood
Sunday, Nov 23rd 2:00-4:00pm
Cost: $20

Learn the main principles of meditation and chanting. A great workshop for those who are new and interested in understanding the relationship between mantras and meditation. "Chanting is half the battle"

Shake Your Booty Gratitude Ritual with Hala Khouri
Exhale Center for Sacred Movement, Venice
Wednesday, Nov 26th 12:30-1:45pm
Cost: FREE

Join Hala and dance, sweat, pray and meditate for all that you are grateful for in your life. This one hour ritual starts with some yoga asanas, then freeform dance into a deep meditation and savasana.

Detox with Dee Dee Daniels
lululemon South Bay, 2008A East Park Place
Friday, November 28th 9:00-10:00am
Cost: FREE

Join us from 9:00-10:00am on the Friday after Thanksgiving for a complimentary in-store yoga class. Indulge in too much turkey or Tofurky on Thanksgiving? Stressed out? Deirdre (DeDe) Daniels, E-RYT will lead you through this all-levels flow-yoga class, which includes the components of muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, core stability, and relaxation. Don't let the stress of the biggest shopping day of the year get you, come and relax with Yoga, Dede and lululemon.

Fire and Grace - Yoga Ritual and Kirtan Dance with Suzanne Sterling, Hala Khouri and Friends
Santa Monica Power Yoga West, Santa Monica
Saturday, Nov 29th 8:00-11:00pm
Cost: $15 Suggested Donation

A celebration benefitting Off the Mat, Into the World
Come celebrate an amazing year of unification and activation across the yoga community. Join us for embodied prayer, free form asana with live music and joyful, groovy gospel kirtan!

Yoga with Greville Henwood
lululemon South Bay, 2008A East Park Place
Sunday, Nov 30th 9:30-10:30am
Cost: FREE

We are excited to have Greville Henwood from Yoga Works/Equinox into our store to teach his yoga flow practice. If you have not met Greville, he’s an amazing yogi, with an adorable accent, and his class will be sure the leave you wanting more. Join us from 9:30-10:30am for this yoga class(all levels welcome).

PARTNER YOGA WORKSHOP with Mas and Tuesday
Dancing Shiva Yoga and Ayurveda, West Hollywood
Sunday, Nov 30th 5:00-7:00PM
Cost: $25 Pre-registration/$30 that day

This interactive workshop combines postures and breathing exercises with a partner. A great way to deepen your practice with the assistance of other yogi's. There will be group exercises and many couples techniques to make yoga both therapeutic and fun.

come and celebrate with hillary!

hillary rubin's just released her new DVD, Yoga Foundations with Hillary Rubin, and will be hosting a DVD launch party at city yoga in west hollywood later this month. there will be food, massages, and raffle prizes, so mark your calendars!

YOGA DVD LAUNCH PARTY
City Yoga, West Hollywood
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 22nd
7-10pm

You are invited to celebrate the birth of Hillary Rubin's Yoga DVD Foundations. Hillary, one of City Yoga's beloved teachers, is back from touring with Yoga Month and excited to share with the community with a fun celebration!

Before the "holidaze" takes you over, please come and rejoice with members of your community, relax with a chair massage and treat yourself to yummy local foods from Tonix, Earth Cafe, Earth Bar, Organic India, Larabar, Aquamantra and more....

Buy DVD's · Win Raffle Prizes · Enjoy Goody Bags

~ Everyone who purchases the DVD will be gifted a goody bag filled with awesome products from our sponsors worth $200 including a copy of Autobiography of a Yogi as well as be automatically entered into the Maha (great) Raffle to win: Prana Yoga Mat, a 5 class card for City Yoga, Hyde Organic Outfit, Hillary's DVD, Ayurvedic Massage by Mary Alice-Quinn, and Yoga 2009 Calendar.

~ The First 5 to buy 5 DVD's for $65 is gifted with a special goody bag including: Yoga Journal Subscription, Bodhi Tree Coupon, Real Food Daily coupon, Pangea Organic Products and more...

~ The first 30 to buy 2 DVD's for $30 is gifted a special goody bag including Tulsi Malabeads, Beyond Yoga Headband, Organic India Herbs, Manduka Strap and more...

Buy Raffle tickets for $5 to support Kiva and Win sweet gifts from our amazing sponsors: 5 Classes at City Yoga, Prana Yoga Mat, Beyond Yoga Outfit, Y Yoga Movie, Real Food Daily Cookbook & $50 Certificate, Espirit Papillion Necklace, Alchemy Book, Chakra Vibe Necklace, Pangea Organics Products, Organic India Herbs, Hyde Organic Outfit (Men's & Women's), Ener~Chi clothing, Manduka Mats & Props and more...
*(raffle drawing at 9pm; must be present to win)

Children are welcome.

yes, i know i've been missing in action

and i have a valid reason...

but first things first: here are some special election day classes that you need to know about. but whether or not you have the time to attend any of them tomorrow (or the day after at golden bridge), just make sure you take the time to go out and VOTE!!!

City Yoga, West Hollywood
ELECTION DAY PRACTICE
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4th, 1-3 pm
$15

Join Noah Maze' and special musical guest WAH! for a 2 hour Practice to help relieve some tension from election day.
VOTE then come sweat it out as we wait!
CASH only please - first come, first served

Rising Lotus Yoga, Sherman Oaks
Special Election Day Class with Claire
Tuesday, Nov 4th 1:50-3:30pm
By Donation

Come and celebrate our democracy in action!
Please join Claire and the Rising Lotus community for a special Election Day class at the studio on Tuesday, Nov. 4, from 1:50 - 3:30 pm.
Let's come together in yoga, in union, to meditate, move, breathe and be present with each other in celebration, in service and in honor of Election Day. Vote before class, or vote afterwards -- we ask that you set an intention to participate in this most important moment for all of us.
Fees for this special community class are by donation

Golden Bridge Yoga, Hollywood
A Day of New Beginnings
Wednesday, November 5 all day!
Cost: $16/keytags (per class)

Please VOTE on November 4th!
Then join us on November 5th for a Day of New Beginnings!
Let this day be a day where we celebrate for a new beginning, for a new day that brings hope, that brings dignity, that brings grace, that brings prosperity, and equanimity around the world.
Let us gather together in prayer, in this excitement for the dawning of the Aquarian Age.
It’s a wonderful day shared with everyone at Golden Bridge that we may be forever the bridge that takes us across and takes thousands of people with us.
Please join us for any class on this special day.