Texas {50 States of Yoga}

 

I have the good forture of working for an airline. I also have the good fortune of my job requiring I sit in the flight deck for a certain amount of hours every year.  So this savvy diva arrange for her observation flights to line up with a yoga trip!  Hello Dallas! 

 

Upon flying into Dallas' Love Field I was saddened to see the extensive flooding that had taken over so much of Texas.  It broke my heart to see so many homes and businesses underwater.  It then made me ponder what a strange beast Mother Nature is.  Floods destroying one area of the U.S., while in my neck of the woods, California, we are in a severe drought.  Dangerous wildfires lurking around every corner.  Nature.  Meh.

I jumped into my rental car {I am going to spare you the pain.... but there was A LOT of pain to get my rental car.  Let's just say it took 2 hours from start to finish and I ended up in a downgraded vehicle.  Ugh.} and headed to my company appointed hotel.  And... it turns out I had the wrong hotel info from the company.  Haha.. so I got the right hotel info, headed to the next company appointed hotel... and was not disappointed!  I was assigned to The Magnolia Hotel.  I was given a suite, thank you!, and this amazing view of downtown Dallas!

 

 

 

I don't know what this is... but it cracked me up!

 

After I checked in and changed into my yoga duds, I headed to the Deep Ellum neighborhood for some bar-b-que.  If I had had a little more time, I would have explored this area some more.  But I didn't - I just had time for bar-b-que!  I had read a lot of reviews for the best, authentic BBQ in Dallas and Mama Faye's name kept coming up.  Please don't judge them on their website - it's a little plain.  But do go there if you're in Dallas.  The place had a very casual ambiance, but the food and service were fantastic!  I got the 2 meat combo with beef brisket, pulled pork, sweet potatoes and baked beans.  And I got a pound of baby back ribs to go.  {I ate half for dinner and half for breakfast the next morning!}  I ate a lot of BBQ in Texas!  And enjoyed every minute of it!



Mama Faye's BBQ in Dallas

 

 

 



After I roamed around the Deep Ellum neighborhood a bit, I made my way over to my yoga class.  I picked a less conventional class.  A free class provided by V12 Yoga on the Continental Pedestrian Bridge.  But before I get to the class itself...  a little more about flooding.  This is the first time I have been to Dallas.  I had no idea what the Trinity River looked like before the flooding.  And... well ... the bridges built over the Trinity River are massive.  So for all I knew, the river was massive!  Apparently, no.  As you wil see in the first photo below {one that I found online and is sourced here}, there is barely a river at all.  Then all the following photos are from my trip in June 2015.  Nuts!

 

Before the flooding.

 

June 2015 - Look how high that water is!!!

View from Continental Bridge down into the Trinity River

Back to the yoga!  I was pretty excited to take an outdoors class, until I realized that even at 7pm it was still HOT in Dallas!  Haha....  But it was fun.  I was definitely out of my skill range, but held strong with modifications for my needs.  Tanya was a fun-spirited yoga teacher and I was especially touched when a man who clearly suffered from mental illness wandered over with a few questions.  Tanya didn't hesitate to welcome him to the class, offer him a mat, and include him in our practice.  This is the sort of thing that I love about yoga.  It is for everybody.  Thank you V12 Yoga for offering these free yoga classes on the bridge in Dallas - 3 times a week!  I hope you know what a positive impact you have on your community.  I experienced this just traveling through!  And thanks Tanya for making me sweat like a pig, sharing your compassion, and pointing out the most glorious full moon that was rising behind us.



V12 Yoga - Free Community Yoga Class on the Continental Bridge, Dallas!

After eating my way through Dallas and sweating it all out over the Trinity River, it was time to get some shut eye in my suite.  First... I must soak in this glorious bathtub!  How often do I get a bathtub that looks like that in a hotel?  And those toiletries!  I love how their Magnolia logo looks like mandalas... and in rainbow colors!  Yay!

Bubbles!

 

The next morning, I rose insanely early to being my day trip to Oklahoma.  I can't complain much though... look at this glorious sunrise!

 

 

 

This concludes State 18!  Stay tuned... Oklahoma is next!

Check out the rest of my 50 States of Yoga, too!