I love this statue, that sits quietly in meditation, at the back of the studio.*DISCLAIMER*: I do not seek monetary benefits from neither The Shala of Pittsburgh Ashtanga Yoga, Laura Gorham, nor the owners & staff of Franktuary. I’m just a Pittsburgh Yogini & Foodie, who enjoys sharing her cultural adventures! Pictures captured with an iPhone 5s, and edited with both Instagram, and Adobe Photoshop Extended CS4.
Fourth of July morning, I ventured over to Lawrenceville (one of my FAVORITE parts of Pittsburgh) with my Mom for an Ashtanga Basics class at The Shala (a new yoga studio, dedicated to the practice and teaching of Ashtanga Yoga, a classical form of yoga) and lunch at Franktuary!
Here is The Shala’s BEAUTIFUL studio space!The teacher (Lizandra) was absolutely FABULOUS! I arrived early before class (as I always do), and we conversed about yoga, Pittsburgh, and life in general.
Lizard did an EXCELLENT job teaching- from her meticulous cueing, to the hands-on-assists and modifications, I really did experience THE perfect Basic Ashtanga yoga class! The good news: I was both sweating AND smiling at the end of class!
This quotation, spoken by both Kino MacGregor’s and Tim Miller’s teacher (affectionately named “Guruji“) REALLY resonated with me!(Buddhist God); he is recommended if you need “grounding”, which I so desperately needed!(Timji)! He was the first American EVER to be certified to teach Ashtanga!The studio owner (Laura Gorham) is to the right of the legendary Ashtanga Yoga teacher, Tim Miller. In April, I attended an Intro to Ashtanga Yoga workshop with Laura at her studio. She is an INCREDIBLE teacher- Pittsburgh is so lucky to have her, and her studio!
Thanks to Laura, I learned half-lotus pose! I will never forget that, and always will be grateful. It’s thanks to Laura, and that workshop, that has started my love affair with Ashtanga Yoga. 😉
After yoga, I needed to re-fuel with lunch. Thus, I decided to head over to Franktuary, also in Lawrenceville. I was a HUGE fan of the original downtown location (in the back of the Trinity church. In the next few months, Franktuary will be returning to downtown Pittsburgh, and is planning on taking over the space at the formerFat Tommy’s, in Market Square!), but I had only visited the Lawrenceville Franktuary once, for brunch. Thus, I was long overdue for a visit! X)
Citrus Scrub & Soda from Franktuary, in Lawrenceville!My beverage du joir: a Citrus Scrub & Soda drink! Even since I tried a Scrub & Soda drink at Cure, back in November, I have been HOOKED! Any place that offers them, I order them! I must say, Franktuary came VERY close to being as good as Cure’s scrub & soda! This was INCREDIBLE! The drink was light & refreshing; perfect for the hot summer day!
“Yes, I think I would like that”, as Bourdain would say! 😉
Mom’s Main Course: a small Spring Field: salad! This was VERY tasty!My Mom and I both shared a plate of Poutine (Quebec style)! Franktuary was the first, and has been the only restaurant where I have tried Poutine. It’s always a highlight for me, and an essential at Franktuary!
My main course- Kale Salad with root vegetables and two fried falafel balls! The Kale Salad was SCRUMPTIOUS- just what I needed after yoga. Also, the falafel was THE best falafel I’ve ever had in my entire LIFE! 😀Whether you either live in Pittsburgh, or will be visiting soon, I HIGHLY recommend a yoga class at The Shala, and either brunch, lunch or dinner at Franktuary! Trust me on this! 😉
Three Cheers to good food, fabulous art, and cultural events!
Mindful Pittsburgh Foodie 