Namaste! Yoga studios in the area are holding some new exciting classes and events this and next month to help kick start the new year. Beginners and experienced folks of all ages and genders are welcome and student discounts are available. See the list below.

Dhyana Yoga (3945 Chestnut Street)

Pranayama :: Breathing techniques for yoga & for having more energy – Sat, Jan. 21, 12:30-2 p.m. – Taught by John Vitarelli. If you are ready to incorporate proper breathing into your practice and your life, then this class is for you. John will demystify the secrets of pranayama for you, answer all questions, and provide resources for your continued study. Light asana included, so bring your mat, and a notebook if you like. Contribution is $10 and pre-registration is required by email.

Master practice classes – Tuesdays Jan. 24 &31, Feb. 7 & 21, March 13 & 27, 6-8 p.m. – Taught by Simon Park. Each week a different focus in practice will be explored. Simon’s unique style of teaching inspires practitioners of all levels of experience to expand their perception of what is possible on and off the mat. Contribution: $108 for all six, or drop in per class for $20. To register email: dhyana.staff@gmail.com.

Brock + Krista Cahill return! :: 3 Gravity Cowboy Events – Feb 3 – 6:30-8:30, Feb. 4 & 5 – 12-3 p.m. – The LIFT OFF! event is on Friday, Feb 3: Many points of interest will be crossed, including the grand handstand, oceans of navasana, mountainous arm balancing postures, and rivers of vinyasa. BUOYANCY CONTROL is on Saturday, Feb. 4: Arm balances, inversions, core, core, core…and a little laughter too. The ONE GIANT LEAP event is on Sunday, Feb. 5: This workshop will investigate the jumps, including jump throughs and jump backs, jumps to handstand, jumps into arm balances, jumps into standing poses and more. Contribution: Feb. 3 – $20 by Jan. 27, $25 after; Feb. 4&5 – $35 by Jan. 27, $40 after. To register email: dhyana.staff@gmail.com.

Studio 34 (4522 Baltimore Ave):

Align and Flow – Tuesdays 7 a.m. – This class is a great way to start your day and your yoga practice. It focuses on the basic alignment principles that provide a strong foundation to any pose, then allows you to play and explore within the pose. The class is open to all levels. Contribution: $10 per class. For more information go here.

Hoop Dance Series – begin Feb. 21 – Work your core, pick up new dance moves, and have a blast with this low impact, hugely popular workout. You will not only be able to hula hoop, but will learn all kinds of fun tricks and ways to move. This is a 6-week class series. Contribution: $60 (6-week series) with advanced registration, $70 day of first class. To register go here.

Kids Classes – begin Jan. 23 – Kids are invited to explore breathing exercises, games, poses and relaxation in this fun-filled class. This is an excellent outlet for energy and a positive place to learn and communicate with other children. Runs through February 27. Drop-ins are welcome. Contribution: $55 with pre-registration, $60 at first class. To register go here.

Tai Chi Series – Wednesdays 7:30 p.m. – This class introduces the student to the “internal” martial art. Both a physical exercise and a moving meditation, it provides benefits to heart, joints, muscle and mind. Contribution: $10 per class. For more information go here.

University City Arts League (4226 Spruce Street)

Iynegar-Based Yoga 1 –  Wednesdays 8-9:30 p.m. –  Develop strength, flexibility & balance. Learn to work more intelligently with your body. Iyengar approach emphasizes correct body alignment with lots of hands-on, individual attention. Concentration is on standing postures, with some work in seated postures, breathing & inverted postures. All ages & fitness levels welcome.

Iynegar-Based Yoga 2 – Wednesdays 6:30-8 p.m. – Level II is for continuing students & people with prior yoga experience.

Both classes are taught by Pat Albright. For more information and to register go here or call 215-382-7811.

Wake Up Yoga (4916 Baltimore Ave):

Once-a-month Women’s Wellness class –  Saturday, Feb. 11, 8:00-9:30 p.m. –  Taught by Biz Magarity. The class is comprised of active and restorative yoga asana designed to support women’s health. This class is designed for women who experience pelvic and lower abdominal issues, such as chronic pain and infertility. Next class is on Contribution: $14 drop in/$10 student rate or one class on your Wake Up Yoga class card. For more information please visit this page.

Eight-week Brand New Beginners series  – begins Thursday, Jan. 19, 7:45-9:15 p.m. – Taught by Monica Kriso. Contribution is $108 and pre-registration is required. Please call the studio at 215-235-1228 or register online.

This sweet young Mastiff-Pit mix, captured Friday, after he’d been wandering the Kingsessing area for two weeks, is in immediate need of a foster home. He’s currently at ACCT shelter, and his 48-hr wait period is up today (Sunday, Jan. 15). He has no ID/chip and has not been claimed. The shelter, as always, is full, and the folks there say he is pretty down and they are anxious for him to be placed in foster care. His rescuer spent quite a bit of time with him on Friday and reports that he is an unbelievably good tempered, non-aggressive dog, and is either intimidated by cats or friendly with them. He showed no aggressive tendencies from the temperament tests he did after he was captured. He was introduced to some kids at the shelter on Friday and was very tolerant of them pulling on his tail and ears, prodding, etc.

He is thought to be about a year old, is unfixed (but will be fixed by ACCT and vaccinated if foster home is secured).

Anyone interested in providing foster care for this pooch, until a permanent home is found, should contact ACCT immediately. His shelter name is Tyson, ID# A15033714. ACCT adoption hours are 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., Mon – Fri, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sat & Sun. Contact numbers: 267-385-3806 or 267-385-3889. To request to foster, contact Lifesaving, open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. Best to email first: Jill Sweeney (JSweeney@PSPCA.org) and Natalie (NSmith@PSPCA.org).

Beth Nixon, a West Philly-based puppeteer and the founder of Ramshackle Enterprises, is presenting a new show at The Rotunda (4014 Walnut Street) beginning Sunday, Jan. 15. The show, Below and Beyond, is inspired by the long‐submerged Mill Creek of West Philadelphia, by current debate about fracking in Pennsylvania, and overall by what lies beneath our feet.

Beth and her colleagues will be using puppets, pulleys, movement, maps, and their imagination. Dozens of local artists contributed their talent to the creation of the puppets and props.

Below and Beyond is a collaborative performance experiment by Beth Nixon and Sarah Lowry of The Missoula Oblongata experimental theater company. Nixon and Lowry were inspired by interviews with Mill Creek residents, the “landscape literacy” research of Anne Whiston Spirn and Protecting Our Waters ‐ a local grassroots organization fighting against unconventional gas drilling in the region.

There are only four Below and Beyond shows scheduled: Sunday – 7:30 p.m., Monday – 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Tuesday – 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5‐$10 at the door, but no one will be turned away for the lack of funds. Tickets can also be purchased online here.

Several pickpocketing incidents have been recently reported at Milk & Honey Market (4435 Baltimore Ave), prompting attention from the University City District patrols and police. At least four wallets appear to have been taken from briefly unattended coats and bags at Milk and Honey since late December.

In response to the incidents, Milk and Honey owner Annie Baum Stein wrote today:

“Please be aware that there is a pick pocket frequenting Milk & Honey. As far as we know four wallets have been stolen since the holidays. It seems in more then one instance the wallets were in coat pockets and the coats where on the back of chairs. We have contacted the police and the UCD.

We have security cameras and will be providing the police with the footage. We will do everything we can to return our store to being as safe as possible. In the mean time please look out for your personal belongings and please look out for each other.

Officers from the 18th district will now add a stop at Milk & Honey during their daily rotations and sign a log book held at our cash register. We have posted security camera signs and will post security signs provided by the UCD soon.

Please do pass it on to your friends and neighbors and any other neighborhood listserves.

Thank you to those who have already brought this to our attention and if anyone else thinks they were robbed at Milk & Honey please let us know right away.”

Reader Vanessa has just emailed us with this information:

“Some time within the last 24 hours, a bike was stolen from 4413 Baltimore Ave. I’m writing in because the thief actually cut through a wrought-iron fence (!!) to take it. Pretty brazen, and kind of scary. It was in the back garden of the building, which is also brazen because the bike wasn’t at all visible from the street (or even from the front of the building).

It’s a brand new Specialized Vita with a black frame and adorable hot-pink handlebars. It was a really special Christmas present, so there’s some sentimental value… It has a Keswick Cycles sticker on the frame.

It was properly locked with two locks. If anyone sees this bike, or if anyone asks you for advice on cutting a Kryptonite New York chain lock, please let me know! I’m offering a $200 reward (and undying gratitude) for its return, no questions asked.

I’d also like to know if other people have had their bikes/parts stolen recently. The details of this theft make me think that whoever took it was a “professional.””

If you have any information about Vanessa’s bike (pictured below), please email her at: vhamer[at]gmail.com

This week’s featured dog is Mojo, a 10-month-old Labrador Retriever mix. Mojo is available for adoption through Operation Ava.

Mojo is a really sweet and fun pup who loves to play the day away! He is an extremely energetic dog who enjoys his favorite stick and loves to play fetch and tag (here‘s a video of Mojo playing). He is very smart and would do well with some obedience training but he is very sweet and great with children. He would be ideal in a home with space to play or at least a family that gives him lots of exercise.

If you would like to meet Mojo or have questions, please email Ray at: ray[at]operationava.org or visit www.OperationAva.org. Operation Ava is a no-kill animal rescue that recently reached 1,000 adoptions since their 2010 opening.