Daily Front Row

2010 June 23

Namaste, Love!

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JOE SCHILDHORN/PatrickMcMullan View Gallery

(NEW YORK) “This is really sweet!” declared yoga wunderkind Elena Brower as she scanned 10,000 eager students pouring into the Great Lawn in Central Park for the world’s largest yoga class, presented by Flavorpill and JetBlue’s TrueBlue reward program. Attendees including Donna Karan, Donna D'Cruz and Yves Durif combed the park for a highly-coveted spot on the lawn. Karan and friends quickly carved out a place for their mats. “Yoga for me has been a way of life,” smiled Karan. “And I believe it should be everyone’s way of life.”

Flavorpill founder Sascha Lewis and yoga enthusiasts—from neophytes to the very seasoned—gathered for a pre-class warm up session. “Namaste, love!” exclaimed the crowd. While the afternoon was dedicated to exercise, everyone dipped into the Ben & Jerry ice cream bars. Only the most dedicated grabbed a Smartwater and skipped the confections altogether. Others flocked towards the massage chairs or tried their hand at the hula hoop station.

Before the class commenced, friends exchanged advice and personal yoga “war stories.” Yoga devotee Durif revealed, “The first time I went to yoga class I said, forget about it! I’m never going to be able to do a down dog! Then, it became therapy to my brain. I now do yoga five times a week, minimum.” Brower, who teaches a high-profile group of students including Gwyneth Paltrow, Naomi Watts and Christy Turlington, confessed that her dream student would be Michelle Obama. But she’d also like to challenge herself. “I’d like to have a crazy dictator in my class…the person who is creating the most havoc in the world!”
CHLOE ARONSON