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Y7 Yoga Studio

After a long flight I often try to book time at a local yoga studio to unwind the knots that 15 hours of traveling imposes on my neck and shoulders. While I have a few favorite New York City studios, I knew that this time I wanted to try Y7 Yoga.

Since their Flatiron location opened in April, I’ve read countless positive, rave reviews on the studio and it’s unique vibe. Friday morning Theodora and I flowed through the 60 minutes of poses, loosening the stress of our weeks.

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As I climbed the stairs of their Flatiron location, I knew I was in for a refreshing experiences.

Y7 Yoga Stairs

Their stairs greet each participant with inspirational Drake lyrics reminding them that they’ve made progress just by choosing to walk up the stairs towards an hour long yoga practice.    IMG_0815

Once inside I was greeted by a fresh, bright space including a check-in desk, storage cubicles, yoga mats, towels, a seating area as well as two bathrooms. The bathrooms feature an adorable “I woke up like this” area which allows yogis to go from sweaty to office-ready with dry shampoo, deodorant, blow dryers and large mirrors. While I always hope for a shower, this is a great backup option.

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There are four key things that separate Y7 from other yoga studios I’ve frequented in NYC – heat, light and music.

  • Heat– Each class is practiced in a studio which is warmed by infrared heat. Infrared heat is different from space heaters or radiators because it heats objects versus just heating the air. According to Y7 co-founder, the benefits include increased calorie burn, improved skin tone, lower cortisol levels and more. Now while there isn’t much to support these claims, I will say that the heat was warm and calming versus the stifling and stinky heat experienced in many hot yoga classes.  Evidently Y7 is also the first studio in New York to offer full-spectrum infrared heating. I recommend bringing an extra towel, or two, to make sure you don’t slip in your sweat. The studio also rents YogiToes towels for $2.
  • Light, or lack of light – Class is practiced in a dark studio, only lit with small candles. Initially I was worried that this would negatively affect my practice; now allowing me to watch the instructor. I quickly realized that this had the completely opposite affect. Instead of spending class being intimidated by other yogis or trying to push beyond my limits, I found myself focusing inward and calmed by the candle light. For this reason and do to the intensity of the class, I would not recommend it for beginners who may get lost with only verbal cues.
  • Music – This studio bucks the norm by blasting hip hop music throughout the class versus the traditional yoga chants. Who knew that one could get so relaxed while listening to JayZ, Sam Smith, Notorious B.I.G but our 60 minute flowed perfectly in time to the beat of each song.
  • Free Flow – After going through each flow sequence three to four times as a group, the instructor gave us a few minutes or one song of free flow. During two of the free flows I did the yoga sequence on my own, but the third one I took my warm muscles through inversion practice. I loved that the instructor was on hand to help anyone who was working on inversions, holding legs or spotting us into position.

Would I go again? Heck yes! In fact, I wish I could go to this week’s WeFlowHard Hip Hop Vinyasa – Nicki Minaj vs Lil Wayne!

Cost: You can book individual sessions at $22 per single class or buy a package which can reduce rates down to $16. You can also book a spot at any of their locations using ClassPass.

Address: I went to the Flatiron location, located at 25 West 23rd Street, 4th floor. However, there are 3 locations, Williamsburg, SoHo & Flatiron.

What to wear: Be prepared to sweat! Most people wore tank tops, sports bras and shorts or light crop pants.

Have you practiced yoga in the dark before?

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Oakley New York Mini 10k Race Recap

Yesterday I ran the Oakley New York Mini 10k for the fourth time (2013, 2012, 2011 recaps) in five years. I love this race female only race! In fact, second the New York City Marathon, it is my favorite NYRR race. While it is always a challenging race due to the hills, heat and humidity, it is such an inspiration to run alongside so many women.

This race now holds a special place in my heart as two years ago it was my farewell race in the city. Yesterday it served as a homecoming race as each mile brought back fond memories of running in Central Park and reminded me why I love the NYRR community. I had happy tears as I realized that I’ll be home, in two weeks, able to run through my favorite city in the world.

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Similar to years past, the corral area for the race was in Columbus Circle. Katie and I found a spot in the corrals around 7:45, fifteen minutes before the race start. We spent next few minutes time catching up, people watching and deciding on a race strategy.  Our plan was to run the race together, agreeing that our sole goal was to run strong and not stop running. The race seemed better organized than I remember with lots of volunteers helping people find the bag check, corrals, and bathrooms.

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We crossed the starting line at 8 am, surrounded by more than 7,500 other women. I love the race course as it starts outside of Central Park with a mile up Central Park West before heading into the park. The gradual incline gets the legs ready to tackle Harlem Hill. It seemed like there were more male supporters than ever before along the sidelines cheering for friends, girlfriends, teammates, moms, and wives.

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After the first quarter mile, Katie tried to convince me to run ahead. She said she wasn’t feeling great, and this wasn’t going to be her day. I told her just to listen to the music and push forward. I stayed just a step or two ahead of her, giving her the occasional friendly wave and thumbs up. My goal was to motivate her in hopes that she’d loosen up and find her mind and body in a better place. Our first mile was a 9:29 which felt very comfortable. By the time we passed the next mile marker Katie was lagging further and further behind. She kept telling me to go ahead. I continued to tell her that my primary goal of the race was to run with her. I didn’t care what the Garmin said (9:49) as we crossed the two-mile marker. Unfortunately, by the water station at mile 2.5 she insisted I run ahead. As I’ve been in her position, I know that sometimes running with someone who is having a strong day is even more discouraging.  As I waited for her past the water station, I realize that she had purposely lost me. I couldn’t see her anywhere.

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I decided to give the next four miles every ounce of energy I had. While I haven’t been sticking to a rigorous training plan over the past month, I have been running with faster friends and adding strength training to my schedule. This combination along with how fresh my legs felt gave me the motivation to run fast.

The next four miles flew by far faster than expect. The middle miles which include Harlem Hill felt far easier than expected, clocking an 8:34 and 8:40 pace through each of these miles. I started passing people as they slowed due to the heat, hills and humidity. I did my best to gain some extra speed going down Cat Hill as I knew mentally and physically the slight rolling hills of mile 5 would be harder for me than the other portions. I focused on hitting mile 5.5, where I knew Jess and The Girls on the Run crew were cheering.

It was awesome to fly by them feeling strong and happy. I was feeling the pain of the heat and the speed by told myself that I could do anything for one more song. This is proof of how far I’ve come over the past few years as a runner. The recaps of years past talk about going out too fast and bonking the final two miles. This year, I negative split the final miles and was running with a huge, goofy smile. 

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I crossed the finish line in 56:31, a new course PR! Luckily I was able to meet up with Katie a few minutes later as she crossed the finish. While it wasn’t her day, I know her running mojo will soon return!

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As a runner, there is no better feeling than finishing a race strong! It’s been a few months since I finished a race feeling like I succeeded. Yesterday, however, I had post-race happy endorphins ALL day!  Congratulations to everyone who ran this race and others this weekend!

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Virtual Iced Coffee Date

Have a seat friends and refill that cup of coffee or iced coffee, because it’s time for a virtual coffee date. A lot has transpired since our last date together. Bo is back in New York City, loving every minute of his new job, and I’m finishing up the final days of work in Geneva. I just arrived in New York City for a quick four-day house-hunting trip. To say that I’m feeling emotional, these days would be an understatement.

If we were sitting together, sipping iced coffees, I’d probably have a hard time staying focused on a single thought, instead talking about a range of topics. I feel pretty scattered these days, but I hear talking helps provide clarity, so here goes.

If we were sipping iced coffee together today,  I’d tell you that yesterday I cried uncontrollably in front of strangers. I went to the Office Cantonal de la Population (Geneva City Population Office) to get my Letter of Attestation, or proof that I am leaving the country on June 27th. As soon as the kind woman gave me the letter, complete with letter press seal, I completely lost it. As much as I know we’re leaving at the right time and for the right reasons, it doesn’t make the decision to leave our friends, beautiful country, and Geneva.

If we were sipping iced coffee together today, I’d tell you that I bought a portable charger for my iPhone a few weeks ago for $19, and it has been a complete game changer. If you’re always finding your phone with 5% battery, just as you’re supposed to use Google Maps to find the bar where you’re meeting a friend or post that next picture on Instagram, go to Amazon and order one today!

If we were sipping iced coffee together today, I’d tell you that I haven’t seen Pitch Perfect 2 yet but I downloaded the soundtrack on iTunes as soon as it was released. I don’t typically listen to the album as a whole, but I love when one of the songs pops up during a run. The upbeat mash-ups make the pace drop and leave me with a silly smile. Back to Basics, though only 1:31 long, is my favorite song of the soundtrack.  For those of you who have seen it already, how is the movie? As good as the first one?

If we were sipping iced coffee together today, I’d tell you that a friend of mine has decided to take control of his life and focus a bit more on getting healthy. I am elated that he’s allowing me to coach and motivate him on this journey. Nothing makes me happier than supporting him via daily text messages. To make things more manageable, we are only focusing on one change per week and weighing in once a week. It’s all about the small changes friends! So far he is down 10 pounds – more than 4% of his starting body weight! 

If we were sipping iced coffee together today, I’d tell you that Sunday afternoon I spent two hours on the couch folding clothes and watching a movie. Flipping through iTunes and Netflix in search of something light, the smoldering face of Christian Grey tempted me to push rent on Fifty Shades of Grey. Oh, my word ladies. I love my husband, but I’d say that Jamie Dornan has officially replaced Ryan Gosling for the top spot on my list of hot actors. Yes, I watched the movie and no I’m not sorry. Some people watch hours of Real Housewives or other reality television. I do, however, hope that they can build a bit more chemistry in the second movie because these two characters did not seem to work.  Am I the only one who gave into temptation and watched this movie, regardless the number of splats it received on Rotten Tomatoes?

If we were sipping iced coffee together today, I’d tell you that the past year was stressful. We were managing through a lot of change and uncertainty together. Unfortunately, this stress has resulted in more than a few gray hairs. I just counted three while washing my hands in the bathroom. No bueno friends. I’ve always banked on the fact that I’d have my moms luck and not fight gray hair until my 40s.

If we were sipping iced coffee together today, I’d tell you that we’ve started the hunt for a perfect apartment, and while exciting, it’s also proving quite stressful. Since we want to call this apartment home for at least three to five years, there is an added stress to find a great one. This time around we know what we want in an apartment and neighborhood.  We learned during our time in Geneva that outdoor space and an updated kitchen are important. Since I’m going to work from home, two bedrooms is important. We love Brooklyn and our preferred neighborhoods, but so far everything on Street Easy seems to be facing one of the major streets. I’m sure there will be quite a few stressful moments during June and July as we hunt for a perfect spot. If you live or have visited Brooklyn, what is your favorite restaurant or coffee shop?

If we were sipping iced coffee together today, I’d tell you that for the past year I’ve sworn by shellac nails, preaching their longevity to everyone. I insisted that they weren’t weakening my nails, even though almost any article I read online or in beauty magazines said to give your nails a break every few months. Looks like my nails are SCREAMING for help as they are constantly breaking. I’m going to try TenOverTen this week in New York, opting for their organic manicure and pedicure instead of shellac.

If we were sipping iced coffee together today, I’d tell you that I lost myself in Andie Mitchell’s memoir, It Was Me All Along, this weekend. I read the entire book in less than 48 hours, finding myself in each of her pages. Unbeknownst to many of you, I spent my childhood binge eating Halloween candy and other sweet treats, hiding the wrappers deep in my family’s garbage can or in other hiding spots. I’ll never forget my embarrassment when my parents found over 50 candy wrappers floating under our sofa after our water heater burst, flooding our house with water. The emotions she describes so clearly and eloquently in her memoir are a must read for anyone who has gained and lost weight while building a new appreciation for food.

If we were sipping iced coffee together today, I’d tell you that people ask me what I will miss most about living in Europe and Geneva. I have a hard time pinpointing just one thing, but ask me what I won’t miss, and I can easily answer that question. Living in Geneva, where many people’s native tongue is French, has been especially frustrating over the past year. For the first few months, everyone speaks in English, often giving you a pass since you’re new and still learning. But, now, I’ve found myself in more than one social situation feeling lonely and isolated because I can’t comprehend their conversations. Never before have I felt so lonely and incompetent. Balancing the level of study required to master French lessons just wasn’t possible while balancing a relationship, blog, expat life, traveling, work and an active lifestyle. I could sit here and wish things were different, but instead I’m sharing this experience with you guys and moving on.

If we were sipping iced coffee together today, I’d tell you that for the past few months, I came home each night to delicious meals, cooked and created by Bo. Cooking is a passion of his and was a great way to take his mind off the frustrations of the job search.  Though I’ve missed these meals the past two weeks, I have LOVED getting back in the kitchen. I’ve rekindled my friendships with the market vendors while choosing the freshest vegetables and fruits. I love the gratification that comes from creating a delicious meal, even when it is a simple Summer salad.

 

So, if we were having iced coffee today, what would you share with me?

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