What I learned on my summer vacation:

• The Hotel Gansevoort is just another hotel with a swimming pool. It really is not all that and could easily be confused with a Holiday Inn or Travellodge when it comes right down to it.
• In the middle of the summer, on a sultry Saturday night, even middle-aged Upper East Siders can get into Pastis without much ado, and without a reservation.
• If you haven't been to the shala all week because of the heat, but your teacher thinks it's because you were in Montreal, you should just let him go ahead and think you were in Montreal, even though you were home practicing in the comfort of your air conditioned living room.
• If you haven't been to the shala all week and thus missed the announcements that the Saturday led class would be cancelled because of the Thai Yoga Massage workshop, it's no one's fault but your own.
• Thanks to Ashtanta's emphasis on self-practice, if you show up for a led class that isn't happening due to a Thai Yoga Massage workshop, you can still do your practice in a corner of the room in which the Thai Yoga Massage workshop is taking place.
• Even if your practice feels low-energy and not particularly deep, onlookers who do not practice Ashtanga will be impressed with your feats of strength and flexibility. By contrast, other Ashtangis will likely not even notice.
• Kurmasana is a separate posture from Supta Kurmasana, no matter what some people say. The arms go out to the sides, palms down, and the legs extend straight out, heels alof. Practice your Kurmasana, and Supta Kurmasana will be coming. Eventually. Or else a vinyasa teacher who sympathizes with your plight can help you to get the bind.
  

Happy I practiced at the shala today, even if it was self-practice with another yogini who had been MIA over the past week and hadn't gotten the "memo" that the led class was canceled. 'Sall good.

Both kids are away this weekend, Brian at a five-day sleepaway camp experience and Adam at Grandma and Grandpa's. Summer vacation due to end around five p.m. tomorrow afternoon.

YC