[My Favorite Park Slope…] Yoga Class

Image via Bend and Bloom on Facebook

I was very late to jump on the yoga train -- I only started about four years ago. A friend convinced me to try a Bikram class, but after three attempts, I decided the hot room was not for me. I also wasn't crazy about the claustrophobic feeling of being in a packed studio, mat edge to mat edge with smelly strangers. Not my thang, people. I liked the yoga part, though, so I went in search of regular vinayasa flow classes in the neighborhood.

What brought me to Bend and Bloom was the Express class option. I would love to live in a world where I have the time for a class that takes an hour and a half, not counting travel to and from the studio, but that's not the case. Not even on weekends (I have kids, yo). The hour long Express classes at Bend and Bloom are perfect. And if you have kids, there's a 4pm Express class that coincides with a kids class (check the schedule for which age groups are on which days), so you can get your om on while your wee one is learning to down dog next door.  

All of the teachers there are great, but I have to give a shout out to Megan Walsh, who is the bomb-diggity, and my all-time favorite. She teaches on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12:30, which isn't always easy to get to, but it's totally worth it. No matter how many students are in the class, she's always paying close attention and helps you make the necessary adjustments so you don't hurt yourself. She takes hard poses apart, and really helps you get over your fears and learn how to do them in baby steps -- I made wheel pose my bitch because of you, Megan! She's also been known to occasionally walk around giving mini-neck massages while you're in shavasana, although that hasn't happened in a while -- bring that part back, Megan!