The Art Of The Sunset

2015 has already been about the most spectacular year on record for sunsets. The SUNSETS we've seen! They've been so beautiful your heart could just about burst. But last night's might just have topped them all. (So far.)

The social media feeds immediately filled up with Los Angelenos all sharing in the same nature situation. One photo was more beautiful than the next. But nothing compared to the real thing. I saw photos from the art show at the Barker Hangar last night, and every person there said the sky was the best work they saw. Truth. And free for all to enjoy.

I just happened to go outside of the building where I'm currently working to take a call. I nearly dropped the phone when I saw the absolute majesty unfolding above me in the Western sky. I ran inside and made all my colleagues stop what they were doing and follow me to the park outside.

Even the most jaded and cynical among them (and in the entertainment biz, they are legion) stood there, jaws on the ground. No words were needed, it was enough to stand there and soak it all in.

When we did make noise, it was mostly to gasp, but then I had to say how lucky I felt just to feel this glow of the unreal and truly Heavenly light on me. My friend said, "I know! Look at our faces!" It was a real and beautiful moment of people (workaholics) stopping everything to collectively enjoy a rare (not really this year, but still!) moment of natural beauty.

When I lived in Hawai'i, every evening people would stop and gather for "Sunset Hour" instead of Happy Hour. It's a lovely custom, bringing people together to share the ridiculous splendor of the setting sun. No matter what's going on with you, you feel better when you see it. And you can't help but feel grateful, and then you're back on top of your game!

After the buzz of seeing last night's sunset, I aborted my plans to be out and about, and instead, went within. I went to the greatest restorative yoga class at Studio Surya (that I don't even want to tell you about so it doesn't get all packed, but here you go), basically a nap class, where you held stretch positions forever until you zenned out and nearly slept. That was easy to get into, because the class is held in the dark, all candle-lit and trance inducing music vibes. And aromatherapy. And blankets and eye pillows. And TOTAL zone out relaxation.

At class's end, the soothing instructor, Amy, told everyone to inhale what you want to carry inside you. Then exhale what you want to put out into the world.

For each breath, I chose that evening's sunset.

Studio Surya Yoga ... VENICE Yoga

Venice is different than Santa Monica ... real different. Yet lots of Venice people I know still haul over to Santa Monica for their Yoga classes for some reason. I'm here to tell you, no need. Studio Surya Yoga is smack dab in the middle of Venice (right off the Windward Circle next to Bike Attack), and is as serene and lovely as could be - a pure reflection of its owner, Yonnus Becker.


Yonnus is a California girl, born and bred. She grew up in Laguna Beach, the daughter of some fun sounding hippie parents (setting up their first Sawdust Festival booth naked but for hats), that made up her interesting name, and gave her the freedom to do what she loved.

That meant traveling, majoring in Classical History at UCLA, getting every kind of license available (Contractor's, Teacher's, you name it ...), and generally being a bit of a wild child. She moved to New York (because she felt like it) and it was there she really both got into Yoga. Walking home from an NY class one day, she decided that would be her next big endeavor - opening her own studio. In Venice, California.

Venice appealed to her because there really wasn't (and still really isn't, besides Studio Surya) a great yoga place in Venice. She felt that it was the only place that made sense to her (as so many of us feel), and as she said, "I want people to be interesting", and they certainly are in Venice. She sold everything and went for it, because life is short and you need to do what makes you feel good. The current location was the first place she looked at, and after re-doing the entire space herself (laying the hardwood floor (!), painting, hanging things, all of it), Studio Surya opened in February of 2009.

And there Yonnus, along with a team of hand-picked teachers - "smushy love balls" all - have been teaching Hatha Yoga classes seven days a week ever since. I've only been to Yonnus's Vinyasa Flow class so far, but can't wait to experience the evening Candlelight Flow class ... or any more of them, for that matter. Yonnus is a great teacher, super kind-voiced and positive, reminding you to (well, for me, to breathe) have gratitude, and realize that "The gift is to slow down and appreciate yourself." - always good advice. She gives you options for the easier or harder you want your positions to feel, and gently helps you to be better than you thought you could be at it all.

Yonnus is so warm to be around, and it made total sense when she expressed that she wants to be YOUR Yoga Studio for VENICE ... for, as she put it, "Non-Showbiz Yoga." You know exactly what she means too ... the packed classes with the fragile looking trophy wives and dudes that like to pick up on them. The Scene-y yoga. Blech. This is nothing like that. Studio Surya is again, a gentle Yoga. Yonnus doesn't subscribe to a lot of the usual Yogi dogmas - she's not vegetarian, she likes music other than sitar, she doesn't make students brush her hair during class (Weird, Mr. Bikram), etc ... - feeling that to each, his or her own. The best part is just that you know she actually cares. She'll come around and soothingly reposition you. The class ends with her placing a lavender eye pillow over your eyes, relaxing you with a little massage on your feet, and a delicious aromatherapy spray shows up somewhere in there ... but that all could've been a dream, so chill was I then, after the trembling legged earlier part of the class. Oh, and very importantly these days, she keeps it extra affordable.


Yonnus said that when she set out to create her own studio, she wanted it to be with no ego or pretense, and serve as an environment where students can feel cared about. "People in Venice WANT to be connected, the polished and unpolished all together ... we can raise each others' vibrations." Now doesn't that philosophy sound perfect for here?

Yoga aficionado that lives in Venice? Well, you're stoked.


Studio Surya Yoga
1501 Main Street #106
Venice, 90291
310.910.4740