Lately, my Sunday routine has changed for the better. Instead of spending the day lazily at home and rarely fitting in a workout, I’m out of the house by 10:30 each Sunday ready to start my day with a stretching, detoxifying sweat.
Now, two weeks in a row, I’ve started my Sunday with the 11am Strala Yoga strong class. Each class is different than the last and none have followed a standard vinyasa routine. In fact, both have started with a very challenging abdominal series and ended with a longer than normal shavasana, complete with lavender aromatherapy.
Over the years I’ve tried just about every type of yoga studio in the city: the hipster, the spa like, the strenuous, and the down right boring. For me, yoga will never be my primary form of exercise but instead cross training. My goal while I’m on the mat is to relieve stress, lengthen my muscles, and become more limber.
Strala Yoga is the perfect yoga destination for people looking for yoga without all the added incense, oms, and meditation. While this aspect of yoga is important to some people, this isn’t essential for my practice.
What’s important to me is that a studio or class is small enough that you feel like a person and not a number while also providing time for ample adjustments during class. 
This morning Melissa and I twisted our way through another wonderful detoxifying class alongside a weekend visitor, Kath! I know Kath practices a lot of yoga so I was weary of brining her to this studio, unsure whether it would meet her expectations. Luckily, she loved it!
After class we answered Kath’s bagel craving at Ess-a-Bagel.
Even though the line was longer than expected, the delicious, warm freshly made bagels made up for it. The very “New York” crusty interior also added to the experience, especially the dirty chandeliers.
The whole wheat everything bagel with low fat vegetable cream cheese was a delicious treat paired with our great conversation about New York’s different neighborhoods and the unbelievable rent costs.
From there Melissa and I gave Kath a tour of Gramercy area, my favorite part of town. I’m a bit partial since we live in Gramercy but every time I show someone the neighborhood I fall more in love with it. It really has everything that you could wish for in New York City: wide sidewalks, quiet streets, wonderful architecture, a gorgeous park, delicious restaurants, and welcoming bars. We took Melissa to our favorite coffee house, 71 Irving, for a latte and warmth as the wind was gusting far too much for our cold faces.
Our lattes were the perfect way to warm up while exploring the neighborhood before parting ways for the afternoon.
Now it’s time to shower before heading out for some more afternoon fun.
Don’t forget to enter the Friday the 13th Gaiam giveaway!
