Celebrity Starbucks?

I saw Dave Navarro at a Starbucks near my house yesterday. He was driving a black Hummer and came into Starbucks with another guy. I wish he was with Carmen Electra. I've seen Ron Perlman (Hellboy) there too. It's just kinda weird, because it's just a regular Starbucks in a not-so-star-studded neighborhood.

今日は朝からJohnのAshtanga/Mysoreへ･･･
やっぱりAshtangaは朝からの方が良い、というのを再確認しました。ここ２、３週間、午後のMichaelのクラスの方が圧倒的に空いてるので、そっちに出てたんですが、やっぱり朝からやるほうが断然調子が良い♪

でもMichaelのクラスも好きなので、いっそのことダブルで出てしまおうかな？一日に２回プラクティスするの、Bikramでは勧めてるけど、アシュタンガはどうなんだろう？

I have been reading a lot of blogs in Japanese lately (I've added some to the Yoga Related Links to your right), so my thoughts are starting to come to me in Japanese! This is good, because when I first started this blog, I was losing my Japanese skills and writing in English was so much easier... I tested to see if this blog can support Japanese characters and it works! So I think I'm going to make this blog bi-lingual from now. Sometimes I'll write in English and some other times I'll write in Japanese... I'm probably not going to write everything in both languages, but we'll see how it goes..

最近日本語のブログを読む機会が多くなってきたので、段々自分でも日本語で考えが浮かぶようになってきました。このブログを始めた頃は、英語でばっかり物を考えてたので、日本語書くのが億劫で・・・　それで、さっき日本語でエントリーできるのかどうか実験してみたら、できたのでこれからはバイリンガルでいこうかと思います。全ての記事をバイリンガルにするのは無理だと思うので、時には英語、また時には日本語というかんじになるかと思います･･･　

Anyway, I went to a Restoratives/Pranayama class with Chris Stein (@Yoga Works Montana) yesterday. She's a Iyengar teacher and it was my first time taking her class. I wasn't particularly interested in the class before I went, but it turned out to be a pretty good class. The class started with Savasana, so that surprised me. But as I lay on my mat listening to the teacher, I started to really relax and feel good. The class was very slow paced and we only did several postures in the 100 minute class. We must have been holding each posture for 5-10 minutes. All postures except for the last one (hip opener) was easy for me and it was very relaxing, so I dozed off towards the end of every pose. I think I will be going back to this class, mainly because I liked Chris' teaching style and energy. She also teaches Iyegar classes at Yoga Works, so I'll definitely be checking that out too. This was one of those classes that reminded me that the key to good yoga practice is finding a good teacher.

It is such a nice day out today (81 degrees, Sunny). I went home for lunch and I didn't want to come back to work!

Yesterday's Ashtanga class was great. There were only 5 other students in the class, so Michael adjusted me in a lot of the postures. I learned a lot and sweated even more! I like practicing Ashtanga in the morning, but I do like the fact that this Sunday afternoon class is not crowded. After the class, I walked over to the Border's near the studio and got a cup of coffee and checked out some CD's.

Well, as I'm writing this post, 2 people went home because they weren't *feeling well*... Riiiiight!!

Taking it to the Next Level

Last summer, since I was unemployed for 3 months, all I did was yoga. I practiced Bikram 6 times a week. I think I was able to take my practice to the next level. But just when I was starting to feel the improvements, I went to Japan for a month and after I got back, I started working, so I lost it. Well, I didn't quite lose it, but when I came back from Japan, I wasn't as good as when I left. I wonder where my practice would have been if I had kept up the 5-6 classes/week schedule.

Well, the summer is here again and with my new fascination with Ashtanga yoga, I have decided I'm going to dedicate my summer to yoga again. In March, I went to Ashtanga/Mysore class 2-3 times a week and did Bikram 3-4 times a week, so I just need to get back to that.

Just thought I'd post this so I have something to look back to when I'm feelin' lazy...