rock out with your sox on

yes, i will just state two things right off the bat: (1) i am currently overly interested in protecting my feet - i think what it comes down to is that my usually bare feet are are not weathering well with these colder temps, especially since i live in an nyc apartment that was built in the early 1900's so our toasty radiator heat has not been turned on - yet, & (2) socks in yoga class are usually discouraged to ensure a better grip in poses, however when you are teaching & not usually staying on a clean, cushiony mat, but traveling around the room from student to student, regardless of how clean the room, you still tend to get dirty soles by the end of class.

today i splurged on a pair of half-toe toesox ($15.00)! these sox are 90% organic cotton and 10% spandex and are equipped with grippy bottoms. i opted for black to hide any dirt that might accumulate , but they do have a variety of colors & striped options as well (even red & white holiday sox!).

the yogadeal: buy 3 pairs & get free shipping from toesox.com or purchase via ebay (like i did) & enjoy free shipping on a single pair!

the pampered yogi - on the cheap(er... read: $50)

if you aren't into waiting 5 days for your d.i.y. foot exfoliator to shed those dead layers of skin off your gnarly tootsies, check out the spaweek offerings in a city near you to let someone else do the dirty work.

from october 12th through the 18th, spas, salons & other wellness centers are promoting their signature services at 50 bucks a pop - including massages, facials & mani/pedis. perhaps this week will be the rainy day you've been waiting to delve into your piggybank for...

participating cities include:
arizona
california
colorado
connecticut
dc
florida
georgia
illinois
maryland
massachussetts
michigan
minnesota
nevada
new jersey
new york
north carolina
pennsylvania
tennessee
texas
virginia
washington
canada (not a state, but still worthy of a deal!)

let us know if you take the plunge (into your wallet) for a treatment!

you've got the softest little baby feet

as yogis, between sandals & going barefoot, we put our tootsies through a lot of exposure that much of the rest of the population may not understand. as a result we tend to get dried out &/or callused skin (read: ugly, rough feet).

since i am not huge of pedicures, mainly because of the hidden dangers of the ingredients in many of the prettiest paint shades, my interest was sparked when i came across baby foot. although they are only big in japan right now (seriously, there is only one small japanese grocery store in the states that carries them), i was able to score a pair of these treatment booties on ebay!

here's my vlog journey to give you some visuals:







yogadeal: for a fraction of the price of some spendy exfoliating pedi treatments out there, i got baby soft feet for $22 (free shipping) with minimal effort on my end, safely & naturally in my own home! word to the wise, just make sure you have a good book to read or a movie to watch since it's best to stay still during the 2 hour marination to avoid the slip-n-slide feeling like i did when i tried moving around too much.

we'ar something special & sustainable

when you find yourself in yoga classes monopolized by lululemon, a certain excitement ignites within when you find yoga threads that combine accountability, creativity, practicality & imagination (ok, maybe it's just me...).

escaping her 'yoga bubble,' jyoti morningstar entered the real world & truly found the yoga of her life, uniting her yogic lifestyle & her design skill set to birth we'ar, new zealand's eco-conscious active clothing line. in addition to great designs, jyoti stresses traceability, ensuring a karmic life for each garment from cradle to savasana (read: grave).

the pieces may be a bit spendier than what you may be used to on yogadeals, but when it comes down to it, if you are looking to be a day-n-night yogi (yes, just like barbie only anatomically correct of course), the we'ar line's versatile style really pays off - or rather for itself over time. instead of five cheaply made hoodies (probably from sweat shops & we're not talking bikram class), i think my closet & my laundry bin would really appreciate my investment in the very unisexy ultimate hoodie from we'ar.

however, if your piggybank is still on a recessionary diet, there is still a good deal to be had at we'ar!




yoga deal: 2 for 1 scoop neck tees (2 for $60), they come in a variety of colors, with a comfy, loose fit & hand-rolled edges.

also, a HUMONGO THANK YOU to we'ar for donating to boomerang yoga's fundraiser for bent on learning!

bikram - hot pink & sweaty in nyc

in hopes of heating up my autumn (yes, i'm in denial that summer has officially ended) & to finally check out the whole bikram thang, i attended to my first class.

after doing some homework (read: checking out what was free & close to me using my yoga passbook) i headed to bikram yoga lower east side, a spunky yoga studio on allen street (nyc) for my first 90 (minutes, that is). i plan to continue my trial run for the next 6 days (yes, one week of bikram) to see how it pans out.

previous to my class, here was my take on bikram:

• it's hot - obvi, i know
• people wear next to nothing in class
• the room has a carpeted floor (which i thought was weird & possibly smelly)
• there are 26 poses & there is no dog - no down, no up - no yoga dog in this classroom

& after my first class...

• i was used to building heat internally from my vinyasa flow, which i had control over. in bikram that is not the case, the heat is an external force to be reckoned with; i found it to be much more mind over matter, making their 26 poses more challenging than i would necessarily find them in a vinyasa practice.
• there is definitely more skin showing in these classes, but even in my skimpy phat buddha shorts & my asana beater (aka men's undershirt), i didn't feel self-conscious like a might if i rocked it at a non-hot class. in this case, wearing tiny outfits is not to look like a hottie in class, but required in hopes of keeping your cool - if that's possible.
• the room is carpeted & although it didn't feel weird, there was definitely a funky scent from it - but i quickly forgot about that once the class began.
• i did miss my 'yoga dogs' & my vinyasa flow, but since these are usually warming postures, i can see why they have been omitted. i think next i will try hot vinyasa....

yoga deal: bikram lower eastside offers $20 for one-week unlimited classes for new students & they host 'nite sweats' - the first friday of each month at 10pm - a 90 minute class that's only $10 & benefits the lower east side girls club.

morning yo! the seattle wednesday phyzzle

since we are located in nyc - we have started looking to other fellow tweeters to find out what yogadeals are happening in their hoods.

enter karen of @phyzzyoga.

on wednesday mornings, at seattle's supercool superfood nutritition bar, healeo, karen teaches 'morning yo!' consider it the yogi's morning jolt; a 35-minute, non-mat asana of pranayama breathing & standing poses (only) followed by a deliciously nutritious liquid breakfast.

the yoga deal: for early birds only.... arrive at 7:15am on wednesdays at healeo & for just $12 you can enjoy karen's 'hump day smoothie class' along with [yes, you guessed it] a superfood smoothie/drink/tea from healeo's menu.

also we wanted to give a special 'THANK YOU, YOU'RE AWESOME' to phyzzyoga for donating to the boomerang yoga fundraiser for bent on learning (btw, there is still time to donate if you are able)!

remember sharing is caring, what yogadeals are happening in your hood? email us at yogadeals@gmail.com.

who said yogis don't wear ties?

don't let work tie you down this week. try a new look this fall - grab any ol' tie & use it as a retro prop for your yoga practice!

go ahead, find the ugliest one in your closet (or your dad's, significant other's, etc.) & embrace it as your new favorite yoga strap.

then extend & streeeeetch those hammies out, open up those shoulders - but not your piggy bank. heck, even practice your tying skills if you need to shorten it - talk about multi-tasking....