Stand-Up Paddle Board Yoga and Consignment Shopping

I bought a couple of Groupons for stand-up paddle board yoga lessons when Dawn first got to town. The classes must book up quickly because we had to book a few weeks out to find openings! This morning was our first of three classes (possibly Dawn's first and last, but more on that later!).

We went with Angie, our partner in crime from yesterday's Warrior Dash. She is an experienced yoga practitioner. I'm a definite beginner and Dawn's opinion of yoga is, and I quote, "I don't like it." But she's a good sport and game for anything (love that spirit!), so she joined in.

We got TOTALLY lost trying to find the surf shop in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. We were about 10 minutes late for the class, but they still let us jump in. We missed the paddleboard tutorial, but did okay all the same.

Cute little surf shop!

Our instructor rolled all the paddleboards across the street to the beach on
this big cart. Love these colors!

After paddling across Shilshole Bay (I recognized this area from our Argosy Locks Cruise with Clyde and Delores), we tethered up to a rope that stretched between two buoys. There were about eight women in our class, plus the instructor who had anchored her paddleboard out in front.

The paddle out was a nice warm up and the yoga on the paddleboard was really something unique. It was slightly more challenging than traditional yoga because of the shifting surface, but it was also so much more sublime because of the environment. The feel of the current and the wake from passing boats beneath you. The sound of birds in the far distance and the sound of the water lapping the board in the near distance. The smell of the salt water. The light breeze and the sun on your skin. I absolutely loved the setting. The yoga practice itself was a really great experience. I'm definitely hooked and can't wait to go back.

I was curious to know how Angie and Dawn liked it but it wasn't until we all had paddled back to shore and were hauling our boards back up the beach that we had a chance to talk. Angie loved it as much as I did but Dawn had been battling nausea and vertigo pretty much since the first Downward Facing Dog. Poor thing. The upside-down view of the skyline with the water flowing past the board was enough to do her in and she never really recovered. I think she couldn't wait to get back on solid ground!

What's the perfect antidote for nausea and vertigo? 

Sushi.

We checked out a conveyor-belt sushi joint called Blue C Sushi, which was really good. Angie, sweet thing, treated us. So nice. 

Shrimp tempura roll. Mmmm.

Must come back. Very good.

Then we walked two doors down to a coffee shop for
a little caffeinated pick-me-up.

Hot coffee. Simply the best.

We spent the next few hours browsing at a high-end consignment shop in Seattle. We all scored at least two pairs of designer jeans (Seven for All Mankind, Lucky Brand, Joe's, Paige, and Citizens of Humanity) and various tops and sweaters. Angie got a bag and I also got a great belt. Score!