Happy Monday friends,
I live in Bed-Stuy, where the access to good gyms is few and far between, and my home gym (and where I spend at least four days a week) is the very cheap Puregym. This past week, it was closed as they remodel to add an athletic training area for sled pushes, wall balls, and all the Hyrox-style movements. The hybrid fitness boom has officially trickled down to budget gyms: You no longer have to pay an arm and a leg to train for one.
In the meantime, I’ve been checking out Life Time (mostly the Dumbo location) and been blown away by how much space there is. I’ve never needed to wait for a squat rack or machine. (Granted I’ve been going around 3PM.) People mind their own business and no men approached me to suggest a completely different exercise variation than the one I’m doing.
Is that worth the over $300 monthly price difference? I can’t decide! Maybe yes for the showers and co-working space.
This week: Yoga on an aircraft carrier, birding before breakfast, a one-mile race through Bushwick, and the continued overcomplication of the sauna.
on the radar: this week’s fitness and wellness events
Monday September 21: Breath and Flow Ritual (Williamsburg), 630PM, free - $25
One more free ticket is available to this restorative movement/breathwork session from Ice Cold Club. After that, tickets are available for purchase. The outdoor area at the Dime is a lovely spot to spend a Monday evening around sunset.
Monday September 21: Read & Release (Bed-Stuy), 630PM, $25
I love the idea of this combined reading party/mat pilates class hosted by Octave Wellness at Apartment Ra’el in Bed-Stuy. You can expect 30 minutes of quiet reading (they recommend their Book of the Month but you can bring whatever you want), followed by a 40-minute pilates class. Sounds like a great idea for the semi-introverts who love to read but want to get out of the house.
Thursday September 24: Prospect Park Fall Migration Walks (Prospect Park), 730AM, free
If you’re not yet in your birding era, now’s as good a time to start as ever. (I promise you don’t have to wait til you turn 40.) Birds are flying south in search of warmer temps, and you can join the Brooklyn Bird Club to learn about the species and how to spot them. BYOB(inoculars.) If you can’t join this day, it happens Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays in Sept and Oct.
Friday September 25: Vinhausa (West Side Highway), 615PM, $44
I’m pretty sure Maddie is the target audience for this yoga/house music combo event. For the first time, Vinhausa comes to NYC and you can flow to live house music and then dance to a DJ set on the flight deck of the Intrepid Museum (aka on a giant ship) with about 800 other people. Bring your own mat!
Saturday September 26: Strong New York Fitness and Wellness Festival (Hell’s Kitchen), $165
We wrote about this one last week, but a reminder that arguably the biggest fitness and wellness festival in New York is happening this Saturday. Yes, $165 is a lot of money, but there’s also a lot happening: workouts and competitions you can join, panels with some genuinely interesting people in fitness, recovery experiences, and more brands than you could possibly need to know exist. It’s also a fun place to nerd out with a few thousand other people who care a little too much about working out. Maddie will be there, so go find her and say hi.
Saturday September 26: TMPL After Dark Strong NY Afterparty (Midtown), 8PM, $100
Sometimes its fun to see intense fitness people let loose a little bit. After spending all day talking about HRV, workout splits, how much creatine to take, and whatever else people who willingly go to a fitness festival talk about, Strong NY is hosting an official afterparty at TMPL Bathhouse (which, judging from its social presence, is definitely aiming to be the hot girl party sauna.) Cocktails courtesy of Celsius? I can’t say I hate it. The party is included with a Platinum Strong NY ticket, or you can buy a ticket separately if you want to skip the day portion.
Sunday September 27: MMMILE 26 Race (Bushwick), 8AM, $21
You don’t have to be a seriously competitive runner to join in on this fun one-mile race down Knickerbocker Ave. Hosted by MMM ATLETICO run club, it’s sure to be a vibe. Plus the price is right and you’ll get a bandana and tote bag with registration.
things we like lately:
I’m obsessed with this North Face tote bag, which I took as my personal item on a trip to Costa Rica last week and have been carrying it everywhere around the city, too.
New Balance’s SuperComp Elite 6 are some of the most approachable carbon-plated race day running shoes, and even my slow ass can wear them without my legs yelling at me after my 2.5-hour half marathon. Debating wearing them for the marathon in November.
This guided Tonglen meditation by Tara Brach. Years ago this Buddhist practice had been a non-negotiable for me (Maddie) when I was going through something hard. I recently rediscovered it and have been thinking about it often ever since.
I was curious yet almost dissuaded by Snif’s new scent—Lychee Lacquer—when the brand described it as smelling like a nail salon? But it’s delightfully fruity, a lil rosey, but still sharp and fresh. At first whiff, I didn’t love it, but I promise it smells nothing like nail polish on my clothing.
Tucked into the industrial east side of Greenpoint, Newtown Creek Nature Walk is a sweet little green space along a previously toxic waterway. I ran over the bridges and along native-plated lined paths on my run and passed people skipping rocks (seemingly on a date), having picnics, and reading books.
happenings around town
Liz Baker Plosser covered the emerging “sport” of aufguss (sauna performances with lights, music, twirling towels, choreography, and aromatherapy) for Vanity Fair. Worth a read.
Why is Othership hosting comedy nights? Does anyone really want to listen to a standup set while marinating in their own sweat? The description of this event is performative wellness at its finest: “This isn’t your average comedy show—it’s a ritual of collective joy. A night where towel-waving, aromatherapy, and shifting temperatures create an atmosphere where walls drop, laughter flows, and connection runs deep.” Gag.
Clothing brand Beyond Yoga has a store pop-up in Flatiron through January, and they’ll also host workout classes in the space. (Disappointed to see they’re priced at $50/class). There will also be a community run/walk ending with a live concert by Natasha Bedingfield (wow a classic), and tickets go live today (Monday) at 12PM.
The last 10-ish days of September are upon us, which means it’s your last chance to catch Brooklyn Bridge Park’s free Waterfront Workout series this year. This week alone, there's Zumba, sunset yoga, bootcamp, Movement in the Park, morning yoga, Pilates and a stroller run/walk.
Happy Climate Week (we need it more than ever right now with our current administration). Dear Crisis, a NYC community org, is hosted a full week of ticketed events, games, storytelling, panels and workshops in the East Village. Or just drop by anytime for coffee, food/drink, live music, and conversation.
Hybrid races are booming, including the recent Urban Iron which had more than 200 competitors run 8-ish miles around the city and perform circuits at three different gyms. Rachel Sacks wrote up what the day was like for New York Post, in case you’re interested in signing up for the next event.
See you next Monday.
Tysm for the shoutout! 🫶🌿🧚