Month: July 2008

Yoga Is A Competitive Sport (True or False)

When you live in Montclair, yoga’s one of those things you might do – like taking a long walk or going over to the coffee shop.  Some folks are more devoted or competitive than others, and that seems fine.

Classes always feel like a calm oasis.  Our local spot is Mountain Yoga (map), which welcomes real yogis and forever-amateurs like me.  If you want to drive a little, another nice studio is Piedmont Yoga (map).

Yet all is not calm in yoga paradise.  There’s tension brewing among yoga practitioners, who are arguing about whether yoga should be a competitive sport.  You can see all the chi or life force getting used up.

Why debate this now?  Yoga will be a demonstration sport during the Beijing Olympics.  The idea is that agility, stamina, strength and other physical skills can be rewarded through several asanas or poses that are practiced in Bikram-style hot yoga studios around the world.

Many yogis feel torn apart.  Over at Yoga Journal, one person declared: “To take the inner work of yoga and place judgment in the hands of something external seems to be the opposite of what yoga is. This competition simply illustrates the growing chasm between Bikram and traditional yogic practice. I can’t say I support it.”

At least Ashhtangas could joke they were the best competitive style:  “We felt Ashtanga was a natural choice, with its predetermined sequence and various series of practice. Iyengar was too slow for TV, Bikram yoga too revealing, Anusara yoga too touchy-feely, and Vinyasa, well, too free-form” said an official.

The reactions depend on which Yoga you practice – a lot like how religions declare “their world views” to the exclusion of others.  This strikes me as the ultimate irony, since yoga’s about acceptance!

Catch Chicks-n-Chickens On Tour

Attention new moms!  Catch the summer tour of the Chicks-n-Chickens class, today in Montclair.  This is a mixed class with toning exercises and lullabies, developed by Alamedan Darcy Novo Albrecht.

Darcy’s leading two free 35-minute demo classes at 11:30am and 1:00pm today, at The Tulip Grove (map here).  Bring yourself and your baby, along with a good carrier.

The hipster site Daily Candy says these are great lullaby exercises:  “Hush, little baby, don’t say a word. Mama’s going to burn a few lbs. while she rocks you to sleep.”  It sounds like a nice multitasking routine for moms.

If you miss the classes today, then there will be more in Berkeley and Walnut Creek soon (schedule here).  Keep in mind there could be some sales pressure for the $30 DVD/CD, similar to a book reading.

Still if you’re a new mom, there are so few welcoming places and this is one – if your child is between eight weeks and a year old.

Survey Says: We Travel For Asian Dining

Montclarions have spoken, and we travel for our Asian meals.  In fact, we drive to places throughout Oakland, Piedmont, Alameda, Berkeley, Albany and San Francisco for our evening repasts.

These and other findings came from Today in Montclair’s recent survey.  The goal was to understand how much we depend on Montclair Village for either dine-in or take-out options.

Previously, I thought Montclarions were basically lazy, because our four Asian restaurants have been open for years.  That theory was shot down by you.

What happened?  On a monthly basis, at least 75% of you supported Pagarung Thai, Silver Palace, Thai Bai or Toshi Sushi.   However only 25% were loyal (or lazy) and ate all your Chinese and Thai here.  No one reported eating all their Sushi in town.

Perhaps this survey attracted Montclarions who dine out often.  Nearly half of respondents consumed Chinese food five-plus times per month!  Your Thai and Sushi meals were less frequent, with half eaten once or twice a month.

Different patterns emerged among folks with the strongest yen (sorry) for Asian food.  Half ate Chinese locally up to four times monthly, and drove elsewhere for the other meals.  Ardent sushi eaters didn’t stick around much at all.  Thai diners stayed put more often, by comparison.

Survey participants shared all sorts of interesting restaurants outside Montclair, yet none stood out as clear winners to report here.  So that calls for another survey (later) which uncovers your definitive top spots, Asian or otherwise.

Anyway, thanks for  participating – and proving that we do, in fact, venture outside the burg for our Asian meals.  You are a more energetic bunch than I ever expected.

How Walkable Is Montclair?

Well, it depends on exactly where you stand.  This question is typically raised by people considering a move to Montclair, as they wander around the confusing topography.

Here’s one tool that delivers a walk score related to nearby shopping, schools and parks.  These calculations are supposed to measure how “easy it is to live a car-lite lifestyle.”  When you achieve 70/100, then it’s possible to go car-free.

Of course, Montclair scores depend the delta between you and the Village.  If you live next to the coffee shops, then you’re in luck:  Thornhill Coffee Shop rates a 69/100, while Peets jumps to 88/100.

When you live higher up, it’s not practical to shop on foot.  Redwood Regional Park (Skyline) rates a paltry 8/100, surrounded by nature and a few ridge line homes.

As you move through the hills, the walk scores don’t improve much.  Places like Farallon Way (26), Robin Hood Way (35) and Ascot Drive (also 35) are far from stores or other services.

Still there are walkers out there.  We have an Oakland walking map that marks ideal streets and staircases, and use it frequently.  Yet most folks are exercising their dogs or themselves, rather than shopping.

The upshot?  Cars remain a way of life around these parts.  We’re dependent on guzzlers for work commutes and daily errands too.

Cops Give Fatherly Advice

Oakland cops weren’t shy with their advice to Montclair residents last week.   First, they want to hear about any problems you may see, even small things.  Second, they want us to lock our cars and houses.

While this fatherly advice seems pretty simple, I’m admitting to guilt on both counts.  I often dismiss things that might be suspicious AND I frequently leave my doors ajar.  Maybe it’s time to stop singing Que Sera Sera.

Sandra Pohutsky, who attended this village meeting, explained that “Sgt. Bernard Ortiz and Officer Melvin Bermudez want to know all the problems that are happening in Montclair so that they can recognize patterns and do something about it.  They get a list each day of our complaints.”

While I enjoy sharing what’s happening around town, my instinct is to clam up about experiences that seem minor.  For example, I’m one of many locals who have been solicited for magazines.  I didn’t ask to see the seller’s license nor did I get paranoid about him casing my home.  So I have officially spoken up now.

Saying something can make a difference.  The cops told a story about the “Sierra Club Solicitor” who committed 200 burglaries statewide.  One Montclarion was solicited and then noticed this nice guy rummaging around his neighbor’s backyard.  By calling 911, our local hero helped nab a hardened criminal.

For reference, here’s how to share anything suspicious:

  • Emergencies by land line – 911
  • Emergencies by cell phone – 510-777-3211
  • Non-emergencies – 510-777-3333

Besides the cops, the Montclair Safety & Improvement Council is a citizen group which encourages everyone to share issues they see in the Village; their Yahoo message board is a great vehicle to ask questions.  This group delivers priorities to Oakland cops and city officials about recurring matters.

So the ball’s in our court, to actively communicate with cops and watchdog groups.  Except for the Nina Reiser murder, the crimes are petty ones around here.  Yet it’s still possible to raise awareness and lower the thefts, by reaching out when something’s amiss.