I Heart Tucson: Yoga Oasis!

29 Sunday Apr 2012

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Yoga Oasis holds a special place in my heart. Not only because Darren Rhodes, the studio’s founder, does this: 


Tanutara: Making of the Anusara Syllabus Poster from Ross Evans on Vimeo.

But also because Yoga Oasis was where I found a comfortable, positive, and affordable home to practice yoga regularly.

I’ve been doing yoga in a very informal way for a number of years, but mostly using videos at home. The occasional beginner’s class was useful, but often a little pricier than my undergrad pockets could afford. But in the winter of 2010, I decided to take advantage of my vacation–and my salary–to actually attend a yoga class daily. The first three days were brutal; I hadn’t been so sore in…well, maybe ever. But after I broke through the fourth or fifth class, I could already feel a difference.

My favorite class, the one that maybe confirmed my love for this new endeavor, was on Christmas Eve. Only a few classes were offered that day, so the one I went to was CROWDED. Crowded as in, people were pouring out of the studio; doors were open, both side and back, and luckily we were having a typical Tucson “winter,” so the weather permitted it.

Stephani, our instructor, took that full-to-the-brim class and ran with it. The yoga itself was intense, but what made the experience that much better was the shared energy in the room. No other word can describe it, but it was like you could feel a pulse of everyone around you, all working through the ridiculous crunch of the physical space to balance and breathe.

Not to mention that my fella and I went to yoga together there a lot before we started dating. If it weren’t for Yoga Oasis, maybe we wouldn’t have hung out in the first place!


Yoga Oasis was founded by Darren Rhodes, and he has expanded the YO space and staff to now house three different locations:

  • Central: 2631 N. Campbell Ave, just north of Grant & Campbell.
  • East: 7858 E. Wrightstown Rd, west of Pantano.
  • Downtown: 245 E. Congress St. #101 (I told you guys I’d be focusing on the downtown stuff!)
https://i0.wp.com/www.yogaoasis.com/uploads/pics/YoDwntwnMapREVOct2010.gif
Map courtesy of YogaOasis.com

All three studios boast a variety of levels and classes, so it’s easy to find one that fits your pace and preference. My favorite class is YogaHour. At only $5, they definitely cost less than an average yoga class in almost any city. YogaHour is a flow class, meaning that it can go from pose to pose quickly, so you can break a nice sweat! Also, there are certain Yoga Hours that are a set sequence, (formerly known as YoFlo), which is a great way to track your progress. I remember in the first class, I was appalled that anyone could do this :

Asta kravasana

After our instructor led the pose, I was one of the people who heaved and struggled and couldn’t even make it far enough to fall on my face. But after a regular weekly regimen of Melissa’s Wednesday night class, I can kinda do it!

The photo quality is not as pretty as the one above, nor is the pose as perfect, but it’s a lot better than where I started!

Another huge factor in Yoga Oasis’ greatness is its phenomenal staff.  Every instructor I’ve had at YO has created a welcoming, supportive space. Each one is unique; some like to play Rihanna during YogaHour, some prefer a more mellow playlist. Some move more quickly than others through the poses, but all are very purposeful in their pose sequence, and attentive to making adjustments. And as cheesy as it sounds, despite each of their unique styles, they all exude a warmth and openness to what yoga can bring to everyone. Yes, we are encouraged to push our limits, but never to do so in the danger of hurting ourselves.

They also prove their commitment to Tucson’s environment and local economy. If you walk, bike or bus to class 10 times, you earn a free class. (Don’t forget to get your card punched!) How’s that for encouragement to go green? Also, if you’re at YO Downtown,  Xoom Juice is nearby for a post-shavasana pick-me-up.

(Apparently Ari Shapiro and Darren Rhodes are both partially responsible for the other’s new downtown location.)

Have you ever had a great/weird/funny yoga experience? Itching to share recommendations for other yoga venues in Tucson? Share in the comments!  

I Heart Tucson: Support Local Businesses on the Construction Route!

27 Friday Apr 2012

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Note: On a whim, I titled my posts for awesome things in Tucson “Awesomeness in Tucson.” As my astute mother pointed out, this is neither articulate nor original, so I’m changing it to “I Heart Tucson.” Because I do.

I’m planning to do a lot of posting about businesses and restaurants located downtown and in the 4th Avenue area because they need your help! Tucson is getting its own modern streetcar, which is great. Its route is going to look like this:

https://i0.wp.com/tucsonstreetcar.com/images/dest-connections-01.jpg
The street car will go from west of the freeway through the heart of downtown…

https://i0.wp.com/tucsonstreetcar.com/images/dest-connections-02.jpg
…to continue along onto 4th Avenue…

https://i0.wp.com/tucsonstreetcar.com/images/dest-connections-03.jpg
…to finish in the UA medical plaza area.

Although it’s a myth that most small businesses fail within their first year, studies by the U.S. Small Business Administration purport that 70% of new businesses make it through the first two years, but only 30% stay around for at least 10.

One of the best ways we can help Tucson’s downtown continue its growth is to support its local merchants, especially right now. Some of them have been around for a long time, and have made it past most of those two-year, five-year, ten-year benchmarks. Hotel Congress opened in 1919. But  some of the new venues along the street car route have only recently opened within the past year or so. I’d love to see them make it to 20.


Fourth Avenue is in the same boat, and their merchants’ association has developed a banner to remind us to shop local, especially now. 

https://i0.wp.com/www.fourthavenue.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/construction-banner-for-web.jpg


Keep your eyes peeled for upcoming posts about my favorite places to shop, eat and hang out in this fabulous streetcar stretch!


Do you have any favorite places along this construction corridor? Share them in the comments!

The Great Luggage Debacle

25 Wednesday Apr 2012

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Okay, so this is not a true debacle in any sense of the word. But it has provoked a lot of thought for me regarding what preparedness means in travel.

In all my international travels (15 countries other than my own), I have traveled with some sort of rolling contraption. During my jaunt to Spain, Vienna, Hungary & Bratislava, I took a cheap carry-on backpack/rolling hybrid for my 3 weeks of hostel adventuring. It looked sort of like this:

I’m pretty sure that it has since been discontinued by whatever company made it, though, because I have yet to find an image of it on the internets. Mine didn’t even have a fancy laptop case, but it DID have a place to specially put my SHOES–which ate up part of the interior of the bag, which should have been space for my clothes, but whatever. I took that, and a really great Kipling cross-body day bag, which you can see me wearing here, in Vienna:

Hard to see, but the Kipling bag is slung across my shoulder there. It had a front zip pocket and adjustable velcro straps that were pretty durable. Great daybag, went all over the place with me!

I had an easy time getting around, and I liked having the option to make my rolling bag a backpack when I needed to. Stairs weren’t really an issue, because I had packed light enough that I could easily carry my bag up and down them. The wheels were a little uncomfortable when it was worn as a backpack, but most good hybrids these days seem to take that into account and design accordingly.

When I studied abroad, excavated abroad, and lived abroad, I took rolling suitcases. That was definitely the easiest, because I was staying put. Last summer, I bought my Swiss Gear carry on for my 7-week Europe trip, during which I went to London, Italy and Greece.

The only time I remember wishing I had the option of a backpack was when we were maneuvering through the streets of Piraeus and my little bag I had borrowed from some friends kept holding me up. Boris, on the other hand, was practically jogging ahead of me with no trouble, his Osprey pack strapped snug on his back.

I know that my Swiss Gear diddy won’t cut it for this trip, so I’m in the market for some new luggage. This necessity sparked a prolonged and comically heated discussion between my fella and me. He is in the staunch Backpack Is the Best camp, and the past couple of years has traveled with this pack.  My wonderful boyfriend is incredibly intelligent, and made some good, logical points for me to buy a pack rather than anything else. His main points, and the points of the backpack-loyal travelers I’ve read online, mostly are the following:

  • Look, ma, no hands! You can have all your shiz on your back and be able to eat a gelato, play the banjo or punch someone in the face at the same time. You never know, right?
  • Run, Forrest, run! It’s easier to run if necessary with a backpack than anything else. This may be true, although I’ve also heard from people who’ve said it’s equally uncomfortable running with a huge pack on.
  • Be prepaaaaaaaaaaaaaared! (You know, from the Lion King.) Ultimately, his most persuasive point is that you never know what’s going to happen on your travels, and having a backpack is the best choice for the craziness of the open road. 
I conceded a few points, made a number of my own, and then went to the Summit Hut the next day for some individual consultation. The Summit Hut will definitely get its own post once I start making more purchases. Basically, I love this store, I LOVE the people who work at this store, and I trust their advice because I know they’ve tested the products and are all genuine adventurers themselves. 
Also, one of my closest friends and a travel buddy of mine works there. We traveled together last summer, and I can honestly say I couldn’t have asked for a better companion. She knows me, she knows how I roll (no pun intended), and we happen to be somewhat similar in build. The build thing is important because, unlike my aforementioned wonderful, intelligent boyfriend, I have itty bitty arm muscles. Lifting bulky bags over my head can be tricky sometimes…Another kicker is that she has traveled many times with a pack, and after last summer, is switching to a rolling/pack hybrid.

She recommended the Osprey Meridian 22. It’s a carry on, it has a detachable day pack, it has essentially all the features of a good pack but with one HUGE advantage: I have the option of NOT carrying it on my back. Easily!

Despite all the thinking, and reading (one of the many useful forums I’ve visited), and even more debating, I haven’t come to a decision yet. I know whatever I choose to travel with must fit these criteria:

  • CARRY ON. This is non-negotiable. Read this if you’re at all questioning the advantages of traveling with a carry on…
  • Easy to maneuver
  • Easy access to my schtuff–this is a top-loading free zone, people!
  • Relatively easy to lift onto airplane overhead compartments/train compartments/shelves (?)
  • Comfortable (since I know I won’t be getting a rolly-only for sure, I know the backpack component itself has to be LEGIT comfy)
  • Addendum: I will be traveling with electronics, including a laptop, digital camera and probably a smart phone, as well as all the accompanying charging gadgets. 
What about you? Any preferences one way or the other for packing? Have a certain bag you couldn’t travel without? Share in the comments! 

Big announcement, or: Am I completely insane? (Correct answer: probably)

24 Tuesday Apr 2012

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Yeah…so, a few things happened in the past week that are kind of a big deal. Maybe even as big of a deal as Ron Burgundy.

Thing 1: My last hope to get into MFA programs was shot. Being waitlisted turned into being rejected. Thing 1 in and of itself was disappointing, but helped me get to Thing 3.

Thing 2: This idea had actually been brewing for awhile, but I’ll get to that in a sec. Thing 2 is that I resigned from my job for next year. I’ll finish off the year, naturally, but after that, I’m looking at non-gainful unemployment.

Thing 3: I started planning a trip. A long one. One wherein I probably won’t be home for Christmas (for the first time in my life). I’ll probably see a real winter somewhere. And spring. And fall. Generally speaking, I will no longer be a stranger to the seasons!

The details aren’t solidified yet, but so far this is what I know:

  • I will most likely be spending most of my time in Eastern and Western Europe, since that’s where a) I know the most people whose couches I can crash on and b) I can complete some writing projects centered around and in those areas. But mostly a), since I really miss my Euro friends, you know who you are. 
  • I will likely be in Greece for a lot of the summer, both because my honey will be working there, and also because of the writing project thing. I am also possibly going to walk some of St. James Way to Compostela. If not this year, then hopefully another.
  • I will be WWOOFing. Definitely in Italy for a lot of it, but not only. I want to help with the olive harvest. 
Yes, that’s my hand harvesting some olives in 2009 for approximately 30 minutes. I might be dreamin’ big here, but I think I can help for a little longer than that this time around!

You may be wondering what the heck inspired me to make this choice. Well, once in awhile I find myself wondering about that, too, and then I think about a conversation that took place a few weeks ago during a very frustrating tennis match. 
My fella and I were playing tennis. We were talking about my future plans, and how horrid the feeling of waiting is (at this point I had not been rejected from the waitlist). How the idea to travel arose I don’t specifically recall anymore, but more than the words, I remember how I felt about it. The idea of taking time off to go where I wanted and be inspired to write was a lot more appealing than what I would be doing otherwise next year. I even began to think it would be better than getting into grad school, but mostly pushed that thought from my mind, lest the universe get the wrong idea. 
But then I heard myself reacting to this idea. Have you ever had one of those out-of-body experiences? The kind where people say they felt themselves float above their bodies and see everything in the room? I guess that’s a near-death experience. In any case, I haven’t actually had one of those, but I think this is the closest thing to it: a moment of true perspective. I heard myself, a healthy 25-year-old with enough savings, making excuses as to why international travel would be a bad idea. Looking back on it now, the biggest thing holding me back was fear. Suffice to say, my tennis game was pretty crap that day (he always beats me anyway, but still). The more frustrated I got trying to defend my mostly indefensible position, the worse I served, the fewer returns I made. But, I think it was the most productive game of tennis I’ve ever played. 
That moment of perspective, where I took a step back and heard myself sounding so fearful of how risky it would be to pick up and travel made me kind of sad. I’m not that person, and I already know that this decision will not be one I’ll regret. Ever.
Yes, I am completely terrified. This is the first time in my life where I don’t have a precise idea as to where I’ll be and when. But I do know that I’m going to make it the best experience possible, and you all are invited along for the ride! I still have a lot of logistical planning to do, plane tickets to buy, new luggage to research, and probably am in the market for a sturdy but light (and preferably cheap) laptop. Recommendations for sites, gear, gadgets, etc. are all welcome!
Mark Twain is credited with saying, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” 
Or, as my 7th graders say, “yolo.” You Only Live Once.