At lululemon SoHo, in times of adversity it seemed like the "lemon" in lululemon was smothered with mold and damp clothes and a pipe bursting on the third floor of our building. But that lemon has resurfaced and is being squeezed of all its yummy juices. After re-opening a few weeks ago I think it is fair to say that with the help of an amazing team, we have made some top-notch lemonade.

It began with rebuilding the store from just a slat-wall skeleton and morphed into a beautiful, rich space: full of bright chi and swelling enthusiasm. Team SoHo, although not fine-tuned in the art of construction, most certainly is in the art of fitness. Our re-opening celebration began with a four-day fitness blitz (16 classes total) where we reconnected with our neighboring studios. We learned how to throw a mean punch in kickboxing, played with our equilibrium in an inversions yoga class, and collectively groaned as we rapidly pumped our fists in the Pilates 100’s. Our overwhelming sense of accomplishment and inner and collective strength beamed out from the top of our heads and smothered any feelings of doubt we had about making it through our fitness marathon!

At the end of the day we dragged ourselves home, and although sweaty and fatigued, we were all so grateful to have had this unifying experience. It takes a strong-willed team and positive energy to turn a challenging experience into a deeply fulfilling one. Our blitz provided us with the platform to go back into our space in SoHo and rally with our superstar helpers to create a kick-ass store. We now have cultivated the environment to provide an unforgettable guest experience, with the best product, hands on knowledge and some very tasty lemonade, I might add.

Ps, a huge thank you to Summer Starling who took the above pictures! 

It seemed like Barefoot in the Park, an hour and a half yoga sampler featuring 7 different styles of yoga, was destined to be a rain date. So it was appropriate that on this glorious summer evening, lululemon Regional Community Guru Liz Eustace expressed her thanks to Mother Nature in addition to all the people who made this event possible.

The Lawn at Bryant Park was filled with 417 people young and old, experienced and just starting out, on top of a sea of yellow, blue and red mats. The soft lull of the sitar and the driving rumbling of the drums, created by the group Yoga Organix, provided the atmosphere for an open mind and open heart and accompanied the seven different teachers who were sharing seven different styles of yoga, everything from Kundalini, to Iyengar, to Vinyasa flow.

For those of you who have never done yoga outside, you must drag your mat out into the sun and experience your practice in a completely new environment under completely different elements. As New Yorkers, it's hard to find time to wind down and establish a consciousness that is solely centered on indulging in your yoga practice. In a city where its pure expansiveness can swallow you whole, it can also act as the perfect backdrop to embrace the fresh air and join with strangers in a unifying Om.