Relax, Bro: Free Yoga in Richmond

August 01, 2017 by Sara Woznicki in Humor, Leisure, Life In Your 20's, Sara's Column, Social Media, Tweets and Mascara

Let me set the scene for you. Free yoga is hosted every Tuesday at the base of the Carrillon, which is a historical war monument (didn't fact-check that assertion, so don't quote me on it). There are hundreds, no exaggeration, of people of all shapes, ages, colors, genders and abilities. I can't help but look around and feel immediately inspired. In a world of conflict, free yoga is an all-accepting equalizer. Everyone is united to get their stretch on.

Brunch Review: True Food Kitchen

True Food Kitchen

May 22, 2016 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Richmond Brunch Review

A few weekends ago, after Cherry Blossom Run, my friend and I brunched at True Food Kitchen in Fairfax, VA. Upon entering, the wait staff asked if we wanted a table or “communal.” They added that the wait for a table was 45 minutes, and I don’t love anyone or anything enough to wait for food after running 10 miles. So we sat “communal.”

What this meant was - besides removing our clothes, sharing heroin needles (do you use needles for heroin?), and discussing the blessings of socialism – we sat at a bar where strangers (OMG, strangers) could sit down beside us. But this didn’t happen until the end of our brunch. And then our seat neighbor asked what I had ordered because it looked so good (which it was), and I wanted to ask for her number, but is that awkward? Aren’t we all already married in the commune?

Okay, I’ve taken that joke far enough. I apologize.

Anyhow, eating “communal” is not bad at all, especially when compared to a 45-minute wait for eggs. I endorse you also making this decision.

Hooray for Headstands

October 28, 2015 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Humor, life lessons, Life In Your 20's, Social Media

I started doing yoga three years ago. I still remember my first yoga class: My friend invited me to a university rec class, I showed up - the only guy - and then listened as the instructor told me to bend my back like a cat or let me spine come onto the floor like a string of pearls.

I got more of a workout from trying to restrain my laughter and came out of the class with the idea that yoga is just a body sculpt class with poetic narration. I still sort of think that – let the “true” yogis frown down on me from their downward dogs – but I have become a yoga regular and no longer laugh during class. Until I fall out of a pose or someone farts/snores during shavasana.

Dating: What Is The Goal?

October 19, 2015 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Dating, Humor, Life In Your 20's

When you go on Tinder, there are certain questions you expect: "What's up?" "What do you like to do?" "Where do you live?" "DTF?"

What you don't expect to read is, "What is your ideal Tinder relationship?" I imagine if this was asked at a dinner party, everyone would stop talking.

Paddle Board Yoga: Don't Rock the Boat

August 12, 2015 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Humor, Life In Your 20's

One reason to never graduate to the real world is that being in school allows you access to lots of free things, including gym classes. And while my university's gym doesn't offer hanging yoga, it happens to be demoing paddle board yoga this summer. I had to try this out.

Now paddle board yoga takes place in a pool. This might seem like "duh" to most of you; however, when I was first told of this class, I imagined paddle boards in a yoga studio and people using paddles, sort of like Russian twists. Not exactly what it is . . . .

Holy Sweat: Hot Yoga

July 08, 2015 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Humor, life lessons, Life In Your 20's

On a recent Saturday, my friend invited me to bikram yoga. I knew what bikram was - your regular poetic yoga poses in a sauna - and had been wanting to try it. My friend told me to bring a towel, and that's it.

Five minutes before the class, my friend goes, "I forgot to tell you to bring water."

Questions You've Always Wanted To Ask Your Yoga Teacher

February 23, 2015 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Guest Post, life lessons

At least one night a week, I go to a yoga class offered through Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Over the last year, I've gotten to know the instructor, Anja Bachmann, and I recently asked her to answer some burning-like-my-hamstring-when-I-try-to-stretch-it yoga questions for me:

How did you get into yoga? I was in high school and took a few yoga classes, but wasn't into it. My freshman year of college, I went to a small liberal arts college out of state and hated it. Yoga helped keep my mind off of being homesick. Their yoga teacher was graduating, and I was trying to find a way out of the food industry up there and decided I would take the summer intensive yoga teacher training in Richmond while I was home for the summer. The usual program is 9 months, and I did my RYT® 200 in 3 months. I never went back [to the liberal arts college] and started classes at VCU instead! Then, I was hired as a yoga teacher for VCU the following spring.

hat is your favorite pose? This is a hard one! It totally depends on my mood and whatever my body needs. Normally, chaturanga. It's normally thought of as a transitional pose and often overlooked, but done right it is so liberating. It makes you feel strong, balanced, and light all at the same time once practiced enough.

Gym Mishaps

January 23, 2015 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Humor, Life In Your 20's, life lessons

I work out regularly at the gym, and every so often - aka every other week - I either forget something or do something that makes me cringe and then go tweet about it. Here's a sampling:

Colorful socks. Last night I showed up at the gym to go running only to pull down my pants (don't worry, I was wearing shorts beneath!) and see I forgot to change my socks. Oh, I was in socks, but they were pink argyle socks. Thin, too. Not the worst thing that can happen, but like . . . I wasn't trying to make a statement on the treadmill catwalk. Or get a blister on my heel.