CHOOSING THE RIGHT YOGA MAT

My most recent yoga mat was in a state of disrepair when I finally parted with it 3 weeks ago in Bali. By that time, it had been ravaged by humidity and leaf-cutter ants in the Amazon, journeyed to Buenos Aires, Toronto, Melbourne and, finally, Bali, where whatever was left of it was even further shredded apart during a 1 month long yoga course. So it was time to say good bye to a long-time travel companion. It was time to purchase a new mat!

It's been a while since I've purchased a new yoga mat. I stockpiled them years ago for some reason and have always had a supply on-hand. But I'm overseas at the moment and don't have access to my inventory so I'm faced with some decisions. I'm hoping that by taking you through the process with me, I can help shed some light on the topic for when you go out and buy your mat.

There are a lot of yoga mats out there. But how do you know which is the right yoga mat for you? Well, there are some things you should consider before making that purchase:

• How thick should my yoga mat be?
• Sticky mat or yoga rug? Or both?
• What about eco-friendliness?

And, of course, cost is always a factor.

All of these questions boil down to personal preference. No one can tell you which yoga mat is right for you. But I hope I can help narrow down the options.

Sticky Mat vs. Yoga Rug

Most people who practice yoga practice on a sticky mat either made of plastic, PVC, rubber (synthetic or natural), jute, or cork. The non-slip surface of the sticky mat is great for downward dog and standing poses. Grip is essential in these poses.

The yoga rug, which is often used by Astanga yoga practitioners, is another good option. Why? Because it absorbs sweat (great also for Bikram yoga) and it offers a smoother surface when you want to practice things like Astanga-style vinyasa (ie. jump through and jump back). Additionally, you can use it as a blanket in savasana and it is easier to wash than a sticky mat.

I often will use both - the sticky mat first during my warm up, sun salutations and standing postures. Then I lay the rug on top of my mat to continue the rest of my practice from seated postures right through to savasana.

Thickness

Sticky yoga mats come in a variety of thickness. They can be anywhere from .5 mm to 1/4 inch (approx. 6 mm). Many are of the opinion that the thicker the mat the better because of the cushioning that a thick mat provides. However, I prefer the thinner mats. The extra padding makes me feel unstable in positions like downward dog or balances. I like feeling the floor. Also, as a traveler, I need a mat that can easily go where I go. In the supine positions, a thick mat is great but you can always had towels or blankets on top of your mat for added padding.

Eco-Friendliness

When deciding whether to purchase an eco-friendly mat, consider that you will not only be helping the environment, you will also be helping yourself. Inhaling the chemicals released from a synthetic plastic or rubber mat is toxic to your health, so why do it? Yes, these mats are likely to be slightly cheaper than those made with the environment in mind. But at what other costs?

If you decide to go completely natural with something like a jute or cork mat, keep in mind that these mats are made from porous plant material, which absorbs sweat which will eventually break down the fibres of the mat. But it's all-natural and biodegradable, so it's not a bad option.

Your other option is a natural rubber mat. These are made from renewable material and are not processed in the same chemically-hazardous way that the synthetic kind are. If you do opt for this type of mat, then make sure it is latex- and phthalate-free to avoid having to breathe in these harmful chemicals.

I would suggest staying clear of mats made from plastic, PVC and synthetic rubber altogether. Why? They are not biodegradable and they are made from chemicals that are released into the air which we breathe.

So which yoga mat or rug should you buy? You'll have to go out to your local yoga studio, sporting goods or big box store. Or hop online.

Here's the one I want:
Manduka Eko Superlite Travel Yoga Mat

An Afternoon in St. Kilda

I spent an afternoon with a friend meandering around St. Kilda the other day and thought I'd share.

(PS: I'm currently in Melbourne, Australia at the moment. Ok, technically I'm way out of Melbourne in a little country town called Pearcedale near the Mornington Peninsula. But that's a whole other story)

St. Kilda is a trendy boho suburb of Melbourne 6 kms south of the CBD (Central Business District). It's home to Melbourne's famous St. Kilda Beach, the iconic Luna Park (an old turn-of-the-century amusement park with a big scary moon face entrance), and the city's cake capital Acland St.

You can get there by taking the 16 or 96 tram outside of Flinders St. Station. It takes around 25 minutes from the station and, apparently, you're supposed to validate your Metro card when you get on the tram. Really? I didn't see anyone else doing that. Oops.

It was a beautiful day (though a little on the cool side ...It is July in Melbourne after all) so we decided to start our afternoon with lunch at Soul Mama, a "global vegetarian cafe" located at the St. Kilda Seabaths building. The restaurant offers beautiful outdoor and indoor views of Port Phillip Bay and St. Kilda Beach, with its open and airy inside dining room and an outdoor balcony patio. We opted for the outdoor patio to take advantage of whatever sun we could get.

First things first, we ordered our drinks - a glass of the Soul Mama house red for me and the Soul Mama house white for my friend ($7.50 each). I also needed a warm beverage as I'm nursing a cold at the moment, so I ordered the Ayurvedic Vata tea of licorice, cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon. There were some amazing juices on the menu as well (ie. Extreme C - apple, strawberry, guava, rosehip, and acerola berry) but I thought that maybe I should save room for solid food.

For lunch, you have 2 options: choose from the bar menu or the buffet. A legend accompanies the buffet and bar menu detailing whether an item is gluten-free, sugar-free, onion- and garlic-free, or vegan. While the bar menu did look appetizing, we opted for the buffet. For $15.50 you get to choose 3 items (hot or cold) from the buffet plus you get a generous serving of rice with your order. Everything looked appetizing but, in the end, I ordered the tofu with tom ka sauce, sauteed veggies, and the pasta salad. My friend ordered the soy "chicken" masala, sauteed veggies, and satay noodles. Everything was delicious! Even the fake chicken was actually very tasty. And I'm usually very skeptical of faux meat products as they often have a funny flavour.

The dessert case looked amazing but we opted to go somewhere else for dessert. We decided to take a stroll down Acland Street. I mean, what better place to look for dessert and coffee? This street is renowned for its countless cafes and cake shops.

We walked to the end of Acland Street to a place called Big Mouth, at the corner of Acland and Barkly St. It's an old Art Deco-style building with high ceilings and its original chandeliers in tact. The main floor is the Wine Bar and Cafe. Upstairs is the Lounge Bar and Dining Room. I've been here before. The last time I was here - we came for brunch - I recall the service being painstakingly slow. But today we are the only customers for the moment.

We ordered a flat white for me, a tea for for my friend, and an english toffee bread pudding to share. Very rarely do I get a bad flat white in Oz and this one was no exception. In fact, it was exceptionally good. Possibly a 9 out of 10. Maybe it was the locally-roasted Genovese coffee. Drizzled with warm toffee sauce and garnished with a sweet date, the bread pudding - which came with a scoop of vanilla ice cream - didn't last very long. I even considered ordering another. All that AND the service was so much better than last time. I might just have to give Big Mouth a second chance at brunch. And maybe even try the upstairs room for dinner some time.

We had whiled away a beautiful sunny afternoon, eating, drinking and chatting. Sadly, it was time for me to make my way home. But not before my friend dragged me into one of his favourite shops on Acland Street, Urban Attitude. This fun little shop has 2 locations - one on Acland St., and another newer location on Chapel St. in South Yarra. Its eclectic mix of quirky housewares, personal accessories, and novelty gifts make it easy to lose track of time. My friend was looking for a gift for someone else and walked out with a set of measuring cups in the shape of traditional Russian matryoshkas ...for himself. You can even purchase things through their online store!

***Prices quoted are in AUD