Life in LA

What a city! I love it-except for the bumper to bumper traffic on the freeways, the smog, and the lack of parking!

Great nightlife, great restaurants, friendly people, beaches...I could definitely live here (ok-maybe not-the real estate prices are outrageous).

I've practiced at Bikram's headquarters the last few days- an interesting experience. I started out by standing at the front door on La Cienaga Blvd, reading the sign that said "this isn't the entrance, stupid-go around back" ok, so maybe I'm paraphrasing a bit :). After parking on the street and worrying about a ticket, I discovered the "secret "entrance around the back of the building and down an alley, where the private parking lot is located (for a one dollar fee). It's actually pretty convenient, once you find it (I wish they listed that info on their website though).

Great facilities at the studio-multiple showers in the locker rooms (why was that women in the mens shower area though? not that I'm complaining! ;) ) Free towels (two for class and one for showers) and a free mat all come with the twenty dollar entrance fee for class.

The studio was enormous ( a sign was posted that said that maximum use is 300 students-yikes!) There were about twenty students in each class that I took, which was a surprise-maybe I was at off peak classes. There was the usual heat and sweat, but I didn't really feel the humidity that I feel in other studios-they must have primo de-humidifiers.

I was pretty shocked at an incident that occured in the class this morning. A couple were complaining about the heat (I actually heard them huffing and puffing when they came in the room). The woman stuck a towel in the door to get a cool breeze, which frankly, I didn't like (along with a few other students). When the instructor asked her to remove the towel she refused, saying it was "too hot" in the room. Huh? The instructor explained the problem, but the woman was having none of that. It took the focus away from everyone in the class. I've never seen a more obnoxious display of disrespect. My thought was that she should return to the trailer park she was from (ok-not a zen-like yoga attitude) A really big student explained to the women that if she couldn't take the heat she should get out of the kitchen (since he was about 6'2", 300 pounds she didn't respond to him and left the class soon after-her boyfriend had left a few minutes before that). I've never experienced anything like that in a Bikram class.

I'm meeting up with a friend tomorrow who's going to take me to a power yoga class. She's a Bikram instructor who moved back to LA and also does different types of yoga. I'm looking forward to trying it out since I've never tried any form but Bikram

Ok-what am I doing typing away whle I'm on vacation? See ya!