MIND & BODY
Retreat
Between sessions, students shuffle in shushed serenity around the five acres of property at The Yoga Lodge on Whidbey Island—the retreat of choice for Seattle-area yoga, Pilates, and tai chi studios. Groups camp in tents or bunk down dorm style, while couples and solo soul searchers stay in the bed-and-breakfast and get in on the OM-my-God delicious morning meal featuring organic, island-grown produce. The Yoga Lodge, 3475 Christie Rd, Greenbank, 360-678-2120; www.yogalodge.com
Spa Getaway
Seattle overflows with space—challenged urban spas, but if you want to truly achieve that getaway feeling, drive 30 minutes down I-90 to the spacious Spa at the Salish Lodge. A few hours inside this serene, warmly lit sanctuary, with its mineral soaking tubs and private massage rooms, will make any stressed-out city person feel far from the maddening crowd. The audible rush of the nearby waterfall makes for beautiful background music. Spa at the Salish Lodge, 6501 Railroad Ave SE, Snoqualmie, 425-888-2556; www.salishlodge.com
Facial
Is it the limited sun exposure that keeps our faces so smooth, or is it facials at Napolitano Day Spa Salon? Longtime locals swear by co-owners Mary and Jerry Napolitano’s results-focused facials—which include home care tips and proper nutrition—to keep their skin wrinkle-free and glowing, come rain or shine. Last December, Napolitano opened a second location in Eastlake; it’s as much a low-key neighborhood affair as the Queen Anne original, and offers the same time-tested treatments. Napolitano Day Spa Salon, 3212 Harvard Ave E, Eastlake, 206-838-4700. 614 W McGraw St, Queen Anne, 206-282-4343; www.napolitanospa.com
Russian Bath
The Russians have invaded our city, and they’ve brought with them their timeworn tricks for coping with sun deprivation. Learn them at Banya 5, the authentic Old World bathhouse that blends deep-penetrating heat and exhilarating cold. Spa-goers follow a sauna sweat session with a plunge into a 55-degree pool, then head next door to Venik Lounge for vodka shots—another proven mood lifter that comes courtesy of the Slavs. Banya 5, 217 Ninth Ave N, South Lake Union, 206-262-1234; www.banya5.com
Rolfer
Rolfer Anthony Rezac recently relocated to Seattle after a long stint realigning out-of-form New Yorkers, and thank goodness he’s back. You may whimper when he jams his elbow into your hip to get the soft tissue loose, but you will leave his office feeling like you’re walking on air. Best of all, Rezac’s upbeat aura and consummate conversation skills keep clients calm and entertained throughout intense and intimate treatments. Anthony Rezac, 609 10th Ave E, Capitol Hill. 10220 NE First Pl, Bellevue, 917-414-3073; www.rolfing.rezac.net
Urban Sanctuary
Contemplative strolls abound at the formal, Shin-style Japanese Garden in the Washington Park Arboretum, home to a quietly whispering world of maples, conifers, bamboo, rhododendrons, and mosses. Once serenity seekers reach the shrub-lined lake, they grab a seat near the shore to take in the lush and peaceful Eastern Eden. Japanese Garden in the Washington Park Arboretum, 1075 Lake Washington Blvd E, Madison Park, 206-684-4725; www.seattle.gov/parks/parkspaces/japanesegarden.htm
Pilates Instructor
It may raise eyebrows in other cities, but the name Misty Moon Nickel seems almost commonplace in hippie-saturated Seattle. Her results-oriented approach to Pilates, however, is anything but. The veteran instructor has a knack for tailoring individual workouts, whether the goal is to rehab a serious spinal injury or buff up a booty for boat-lounging season. It’s also a fun place to exercise. Nickel’s mantra, “feel good after, feel good during,” shows in the smiles and laughter that permeate her Interbay studio. Misty Moon Nickel, Bria Pilates, 1107 Elliott Ave W, Interbay, 206-781-4576; www.briaseattle.com
Fitness for a Cause
Next time you’re hoofing it around Green Lake, don’t be alarmed if you’re lapped by a bunch of ladies wearing purple T-shirts. They’re Team Survivor Northwest, the nonprofit whose members meet up to work out—pedal Seward Park, take swimming classes, or train for triathlons—and create community, hope, and strength among women receiving treatment for or recovering from cancer. If you’ve got some exercise expertise, sign up to teach or train—they may even offer you a shirt. Team Survivor Northwest, 200 NE Pacific St, Ste 101, Wallingford, 206-732-8350; www.teamsurvivornw.org
Fitness Trend
Are you ready for this? Nia—the martial-arts-inspired dance aerobics that’s sweeping Seattle—requires you to shriek, “Yes!” while rolling around on the floor, tossing up your arms, and gazing skyward. Cynics may smirk, but students leave Dina Innominato’s classes at Nia Underground feeling healthier, happier, and creatively turned on. Nia Underground, 340 15th Ave E, Capitol Hill, 206-355-4894; www.nia-underground.com
Fitness Center
Who says gyms have to have drill-sergeant trainers and sweat-laden locker rooms? At Vera Fitness, Greenlake’s new women-only workout spot, everyone on staff has completed an “emotional intelligence training” course, the tricked-out Kinesis training room boasts floor-to-ceiling windows that reveal a woodsy setting, and a Web database helps members track their progress. Yes, you still have to work out. Vera Fitness, 6845 Oswego Pl NE, Greenlake, 206-453-4632; www.verafitness.com
No-Nonsense Yogi
Troy Lucero
You can’t swing a sticky mat in Seattle without hitting a yoga instructor. There are more than 1,000 teachers in the city, and nearly 100 each in Redmond and Bellevue. But for circumspect types turned off by cherry-picked spiritual messages and sloppy self-help mantras, Troy Lucero is the man.
It’s not that Lucero isn’t the spiritual sort: A Colorado transplant who moved here in 2002, he has devoted years to a serious study of Eastern religious traditions. But when it comes to teaching yoga basics, Lucero chooses movement and breathing over incense and sutras. His no-nonsense approach has earned him a devoted Seattle following, one that includes some of the area’s other celebrated instructors. “He’s a rare gem in the community,” says Laura Defreitas of Yoga Nidra. “Troy brings yoga down to earth.”
Given his résumé, Lucero could have taught at any number of studios around town (his mentor is yoga legend Richard Freeman) but chose Capitol Hill’s Velocity Dance Center instead. “I like Velocity because there’s no sheen of pseudo philosophy,” he says. “I can say, ‘Let’s just do some work.’”
And students do work up a sweat during his Ashtanga-style classes, bending themselves into complicated poses that challenge their balance and strength while maintaining a calm, steady breath. Lucero enhances and inspires their practice by expertly adjusting alignment, demonstrating proper form, and offering practical tips on applying the lessons of yoga to everyday life. Troy Lucero, Velocity Dance Center, 915 E Pine St, Ste 200, Capitol Hill, 206-325-8773; www.velocitydancecenter.org
