YOGA LIFESTYLE CENTER IN ATWATER VILLAGE:
SANTOSHA SPACE is a family-friendly, kid-welcoming, and stress-free zone for people in all stages of life located in Atwater Village on Glendale Boulevard. Santosha is a Sanskrit word that refers to a state of contentment described in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras: “When one reaches a state of happiness, Santosha is achieved.”
Studio owner and director Cat Macary seeks to evoke this feeling to all who visit the studio; she says, “Santosha Space is a sanctuary from the hectic lives we live and offers everyone a safe space to be in joy.”
This Yoga lifestyle center is not only a Yoga studio, but a retail store with merchandise featuring crafts from local artisans. It is also a healing oasis offering massage and Reiki services and treatments. Santosha Space hosts a variety of Yoga styles and blends including Hatha, Kundalini, and Iyengar along with Mommy and Me, Prenatal, and children’s classes; they refer Hot Yoga lovers to the nearby Bikram Yoga Silverlake.
At Santosha Space, students can discover a new class, product, healing modality, or friend. This nascent Yoga community also offers monthly workshops with topics such as living a vegan lifestyle and events including sound bath healings and meditations. “We welcome all to be well, be happy, and to be in Santosha,” says Macary.
Santosha Space, 3405 Glendale Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90039 www.santoshaspace.com
ORGANIC BAR AND BISTRO IN STUDIO CITY
Mare’ka organic bistro café & bar is the first certified organic bar on Ventura Boulevard.
An artist living in the Valley, Mare’ka Enlight was looking for late-night hang-outs that offered organic and health-conscious beverages.
They were scarce to nonexistent—especially in the Valley—so she created a solution.
Mare’ka Cafe and Bar is an intimate venue that showcases live local entertain-ment and offers a diverse and delicious selection of organic drinks including meal replacement smoothies, anti-aging elixir shots and Chinese herbal tonic drinks. In the near future, Mare’ka’s will feature alcoholic concoctions of their freshly-juiced vodka cocktails and imported and domestic microbrewed beers. Their support of entertainment extends to those making the music: Mare’ka offering musicians a 10% discount on all drinks.
The organic menu fare includes savory rustic Italian, French and Pacific Rim cuisine featuring soups and salads, sandwiches and pizzas that are not only eye candy in presentation, but heaven for your taste buds.
In the space, Enlight hopes to create a sanctuary for the arts in the Valley. She says, “Mare’ka will be an artistic home that fosters creativity in music and art while serving only enzyme-rich, organic drinks, and rustic bistro cuisine all in a unique setting.” Along with the arts, stay tuned for weekly vitamin meetings and monthly events and workshops on holistic living.
Mare’ka Organic Bistro Café & Bar, 12747 ½ Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604 www.marekalive.com
Melissa Chua is an LA-based writer who enjoys inversions and playing around with arm balancing poses. m.chua13@gmail.com