while my back was turned...

the yoga scene here in LA continues to evolve at a rapid pace... so much so that even i can't keep track of all the comings-and-goings. after all, there are over a hundred yoga studios in town. and only one of me.

so while i'm pretty much privvy to the news coming from the larger, more popular yoga studios as well as from those who have been kind enough to add me to their email update lists, i've recently found out a number of things about some smaller studios make me feel like i've fallen asleep at the wheel. and i really haven't. i just haven't been looking :(

here's one example: while running an errand for a friend last week, i was sitting in traffic on laurel canyon, waiting to make a left turn onto ventura. i glanced at the building on my left and noticed that there was a yoga studio in that building. and it was called... lotus kitty yoga. but wait; the last time i was at lotus kitty, the studio was still located in vanessa (aka kitty) giorgio's home! thinking it was a recent development, i emailed kitty for details. she wrote back and said that she had moved the studio in may of last year! how did that get past me??

so here's the new contact information (it's a little more a mile south of the old location in valley village; note that the phone number has changed, too):

Lotus Kitty Yoga & Spin
12080 Ventura Place, Suite 3, Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 980-8455
www.lotuskitty.com


then while browsing the internet for yoga events earlier this evening, i came across this listing from back in february:

Eco-Yoga Event
Sunday, February 8th in Encino, CA

Live in harmony with the environment, starting with yourself! This event is centered around the wisdom that the true essences of yoga and environmentalism are in fact one and the same. The price includes all-day yoga classes, lectures, workshops, and more. Classes will be held outside around the zen-like pool area. Classes will be offered by Lotus Kitty Spin and Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Crystal Yoga and Pilates, Karen Schuman's Beyond Yoga...

i knew about lotus kitty and the bikram studio, but who were all the others?

it turns out that crystal yoga and pilates was a yoga/pilates studio owned by crystal d'angora (hence the name) in toluca lake; at that location, she used to teach kundalini yoga, kids yoga, and mat pilates classes. there's a new yoga studio now in that location -- the yogi tree (which, by the way, i had a chance to visit two weeks ago but still am in the process of finishing up my blog post about that visit) -- with crystal still teaching her classes there. so essentially, the place changed owners, changed names, and greatly expanded its list of class offerings. which is good news for the citizens of toluca lake!

so keep this on your radar, especially if you live in that neck of the woods:

The Yogi Tree
4475 Vineland Avenue, Toluca Lake, CA 91602
(818) 760-0012
www.theyogitree.com

as for karen shuman's beyond yoga, i found out that it's the new name of a yoga studio that's been in sherman oaks for years: annie's yoga studio. at first glance, it looks like it's merely an ownership change, but watch this space for more details once i do more research (i just realized that i know one of the teachers on the instructor list, so i should have that info fairly soon).

here's the new name and the new website:

Karen Shuman's Beyond Yoga
4521-A Van Nuys Blvd
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
(818) 788-5960
www.ksbeyondyoga.com


and lastly, this one i spotted the other day while i was biking home from real food daily in santa monica:

shakti's elements has changed its name! -- it's now:

In Focus Wellness Institute
717 Broadway
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 576-2062
www.shaktiselements.com

except for the name change, everything else has stayed pretty much the same. even the website still reflects the old name. since it's been a while since i've been to this studio in my own neighborhood, i'll have to pop by soon to see if anything else has changed.


as i always say, the accidental yogist's work is never done!