Shakti Box in Los Feliz
Being a seasoned writer, Edie Cortese was always in her head – through Yoga, she found a way back into her body. She opened a donation-based studio located in Los Feliz last December, and now welcomes an exciting and new fall schedule. SHAKTI BOX is a small and cozy studio perfect for that one-on-one, individual attention from the instructor. The studio offers Kundalini and Hatha Yoga as well as creative sessions such as Clio’s “Yoga Body/Jedi Mind” and Nicole’s “Monkey Mind B Gone” class. Edie’s intention for buying the space was to have a place to practice Yoga and to write in solitude. “It was going to be an empty room/office, so I wouldn’t have any distractions for my writing, and then I could move and do some Yoga on my own there as well,” says Edie. She planned to rent it out in the evenings to groups for workshops or private classes. “I didn’t have any plans to open a proper Yoga studio,” she says. But Yoga teachers came knocking on her door one after the other, and Shakti Box soon became a mecca with a growing community. “I imagined if it were possible to move in a box full of shakti (creative energy), it would liberate me from thinking my way through life and change me to live a real, authentic, honestly-me in-the-world-of-unknowns kind of life,” says Edie. Unleash your creative force and open your mind, heart and spirit at Shakti Box. 4640 Franklin Ave. Los Feliz, CA 90027. shaktibox.com
Juicy Ladies in the Valley
The Valley welcomes JUICY LADIES, a new organic restaurant, juice bar and wellness center located in the city of Woodland Hills. Co-owners Kinzie Oppenheim and Magal Nagar have made this a new hot spot for raw and vegan delectable dishes and organic juices. Juicy Ladies offers juices for cleansing specific organs and a menu using the highest quality ingredients. Most people have tried sunflower sprouts, romaine spears, celery and an apple, but have you ever thought about how all those ingredients would taste in a juice? You can find out at Juicy Ladies because they have all kinds of innovative veggie and fruit juice combinations that will not only send your taste buds to heaven, they’re actually good for you. “Kinzie and I wanted to create a retreat center in Ojai and have decided that before we jump into a big adventure, we should start to send out the message of wellness in body, mind and soul through a small juice bar,” says Magal. But Juicy Ladies is not just a juice bar. In addition to its organic food menu that caters to vegan palates and soon-to-be vegan converts, Juicy Ladies is a wellness center that hosts workshops and events about topics including organic food, nutrition and detoxification. They offer schools and camps to participate in their Juicy Kids program, a program that delivers healthy organic and vegan smoothies, juices and food to children. Juicy Ladies is dedicated to the concept of total healing: physically, mentally and spiritually. 22423 Ventura Blvd. Woodland Hills, CA 91364. juicyladies.com
Yogis Anonymous: Egoless On The Mat
Husband and wife Dorian Cheah and Ally Hamilton have opened a new donation-based eco-friendly studio in Santa Monica. “We believe a studio should have a personality and a heartbeat, and so we built a place that feels good to us,” says Ally. “If the teachers feel celebrated, heard and supported, they’ll be psyched to walk through the door to teach, and practitioners will feel that energy as well,” she says. Yogis Anonymous invites Yoga lovers to come to the mat and become “anonymous” for a little while freeing the mind from work, worries and life’s dramas. This time is an opportunity to allow yourself to let go of any roles one might play (mother, father, daughter, son, wife, husband, artist, lawyer, et cetera) and join in something greater than oneself. Yogis Anonymous offers a colorful selection of classes with eye catching names such as “Good Cop/Bad Cop” with Mary Beth LaRue and Tommy Holmes; Ashley Turner’s “East Meets West” and “Happy Ending” with Mary Argimon. You can even join LA YOGA’s Felicia Tomasko in her “Eclectic Hatha Yoga” early morning classes. Power Yoga enthusiasts can enjoy Ally’s “Hurt So Good” class approachable for beginners but also interesting and challenging for long-time practitioners. “My classes are sweaty, and there are always opportunities for arm-balances and inversions, but I try to teach everything with the idea of feeding a loving and compassionate voice,” says Ally. Yogis Anonymous plans to host many Saturday night fundraiser events that will give back to the teachers and the Yoga community as well as the general public. Join Yogis Anonymous in hosting the official closing party for National Yoga Month on Saturday, October 3. The proceeds will fund “Mind Body Fitness Education in Schools.” 1221 2nd St. Santa Monica, CA 90401. yogisanonymous.com
Beachside Yoga in Malibu
POINT DUME YOGA studio is making a splash along the California coast in Malibu. With the captivating beach scenery surrounding the studio, Point Dume Yoga is not your ordinary place to practice. “We will be utilizing nature for surfing and Yoga workshops, hiking and Yoga, (and) rock climbing and Yoga, just to name a few,” says studio owner Ted McDonald. Ted took Bryan Kest’s power Yoga class in 1997 and immediately fell in love with the practice. “It felt like a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual cleanse all in one,” he says. From then on, Ted’s love and interest for Yoga spiraled into a life dedicated to learning, practicing and teaching Yoga, and now, owning his own Yoga studio. Point Dume Yoga offers a full class schedule featuring a variety of styles including Iyengar, Vinyasa flow, restorative, Yin Yoga and pre-natal. As an athlete, Ted favors his Yin Yoga classes because he loves its long holds. “It really helps my body and mind come back into balance,” he says. At Point Dume Yoga, yogis and yoginis alike will share a practice and experience that truly embraces the beauty of nature. With the waves crashing, the cold smell of salty sea breeze and the beautiful ocean view along with its equally eye catching sunrises and sunsets, Point Dume Yoga will quickly become your favorite place to practice. “Come take advantage of our outdoor workshops and sweaty, intelligent Yoga,” says Ted. 29169 Heathercliff Rd. Ste. 201 Malibu, CA 90265. pointdumeyoga.com
Melissa Chua is a journalism graduate from CSU-Northridge who loves Power Yoga, enjoyed serving on a jury and will be seen as an extra on Heroes. She’s looking for a cool place to do a Yoga retreat in Costa Rica: m.chua13@gmail.com
By Melissa Chua
